Diamondbacks 7, Mets 0
Mets 2, Diamondbacks 1

Scoring two runs in two days isn't the best way to go about winning a baseball game. Given who the Mets were sending out to pitch, a couple of losses would be the most likely outcome of that sort of offensive output. But they managed to sneak out a win somehow. And it only took the least likely of pitching performances to get it done.

Game one of this series was not a great one for the middle of the Mets' batting order in general and Carlos Beltran in particular. The Mets' center fielder made his return to the lineup after a week off and got plenty of opportunities to drive in runs. Jose Reyes had a terrific game with three hits, including a double, and a stolen base. Miguel Cairo was batting second and had two singles and a stolen base of his own. You'd think with the Mets' top two hitters reaching base five out of eight times, their third hitter might get himself an RBI or two. Sadly, this was not the case. Beltran went hitless in four at bats and never actually got the ball out of the infield. No one else in the Mets' lineup fared much better as only Mike Cameron managed a hit against Diamondbacks starter Brad Halsey.

Mets' pitching didn't have a great night either, as Kris Benson got roughed up a bit. A first inning two-run home run by Jose Cruz Jr. was all the offense the Diamondbacks needed, but Benson would up allowing four runs in six innings. He struck out seven while walking just two, but he wasn't able to overcome eight hits. Dae-Sung Koo had another terrible game in relief, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks in just two-thirds of an inning. At least Willie Randolph didn't feel the need to use Heath Bell with a seven-run lead, as Manny Aybar and Mike DeJean got the mop-up duty they deserved.

But the next day, something funny happened. Not "ha ha" funny so much as "repent your sins, the end of the world may be nigh" funny, but funny nonetheless. Victor Zambrano pitched well. Not just well, he pitched excellently. This wasn't the sort of good performance where he only gives up a run or two, but he allows a bunch of base runners and racks up such a pitch count that he has to leave after six innings. This was a legitimately good game.

First of all, he lasted eight innings, a full two innings more than any of his previous starts this season. The last time Zambrano pitched as many as eight innings in a game it was against the Toronto Blue Jays last June 23rd. And those eight innings took him 128 pitches, whereas these eight took just 99. He gave up just one run and that one didn't score until he was relieved by Braden Looper in the ninth. The hit Zambrano gave up to start the ninth that led to his exit was just the Diamondbacks' fifth of the game. And he walked only three batters. That's right, he had only as many base runners as innings pitched! And he struck out more than he walked, fanning five. It was truly a departure from the Victor Zambrano we'd seen to this point in the year. Looper had a pretty scary inning of relief as he gave up three hits in the ninth, but he got a double play in there as well to prevent further damage.

The Mets' offense didn't have a great game, but they did manage ten hits. Once again the top of the lineup was key, as Reyes had another three-hit game. He manufactured a run basically all by himself in the first inning on an infield hit, the first of his three stolen bases and a pair of ground outs getting him all the way around the diamond. Beltran had a much better night with a double and a walk, though it was clear that his quadriceps muscle was still bothering him on the double as he jogged all the way to second base. Mike Piazza and Cliff Floyd also had doubles while Piazza and David Wright both had a pair of hits. Mike Cameron had a hit and a terrific catch, perhaps robbing Luis Gonzalez of a home run in the third. I don't think there's a lot of question that Cameron is the best outfielder the Mets have, especially given Beltran's leg troubles. Switching around the alignment isn't a realistic possibility and probably wouldn't make too significant a difference, but the current setup is likely not optimal.

Tomorrow the Mets try to take this series with something of a mismatch on the mound. Pedro Martinez (2-1, 2.79) goes for the Mets having pitched brilliantly in each of his last two starts. Shawn Estes (4-3, 3.79) goes for Arizona in the midst of a pretty solid season. He's apparently improved his control considerably since leaving the Mets as he's not having too much trouble hitting a strike zone that is considerably smaller than Roger Clemens.  ¶ joe | 12:13 AM |