Thursday, July 07, 2005
Mets 3, Nationals 2 (11)
Not only did the Mets take two of three for the division leading Washington Nationals, but they finished it off by beating them at their own game. The Mets failed once again to light up the scoreboard and hardly performed flawlessly even when they did get on base, but they somehow scratched out just enough offense to get the job done. But it all started with the starting pitching.
Kris Benson basically took the month of June off from striking people out, never recording more than three Ks in a start. He tossed thirty-two innings over five starts, never lasting fewer than six or more than seven, and struck out just seven batters the entire month. Twice he went a whole start without a single third strike. His first start in July wasn't too much better, with just two strikeouts over six innings. But on Thursday afternoon, something was different. Maybe Benson changed something about his approach. Maybe he's back on the right track. Or maybe the Washington offense could make Eric Milton look like a competent major league pitcher. But whatever the case, Benson had a fine game, striking out six batters over seven innings while allowing just two runs on seven hits and two walks, one of which was intentional. The Mets got effective starting pitching in every game of this series, and more often than not they scored enough runs to make it hold up.
But this time seven good innings weren't enough. They needed four more, and the bullpen got it done. While the Met bats were struggling to get anything done against the Nationals' pitchers, three Met relievers were shutting down the Nats in a similar fashion. Roberto Hernandez pitched a perfect eighth. Heath Bell got the ninth and tenth and allowed just a hit and a walk. Braden Looper walked a batter in the eleventh, but still was able to secure his twentieth save. Because while they certainly took their time, the Met offense, led by Mike Piazza, did come through with a third run in the end.
Piazza had three hits on the day, including a double and the game-winning single in the eleventh. After Carlos Beltran doubled for his second hit of the day and Cliff Floyd was intentionally walked, Piazza looped a single to right field only to wind up as the first victim of an unusual double play. Beltran scored, but when Piazza tried to advance to second on an ill-advised throw to the plate, he was thrown out, as was Floyd, trying to score on the throw to second. It was a reminder that just because they won three out of four doesn't mean these aren't the Mets. Piazza had driven in Beltran for the Mets' second run with his double in the fourth. Jose Reyes scored the first run of the game after leading off the game with a walk, believe it or not.
The games get a little less important over the weekend as the Mets (43-42) head to Pittsburgh to take on the lowly Pirates (37-47). The newly useful Victor Zambrano (4-7, 3.80) goes for the Mets in game one. Josh Fogg (4-4, 4.43) takes the hill for the once-proud franchise from the Steel City. ¶ joe | 11:30 PM |
Not only did the Mets take two of three for the division leading Washington Nationals, but they finished it off by beating them at their own game. The Mets failed once again to light up the scoreboard and hardly performed flawlessly even when they did get on base, but they somehow scratched out just enough offense to get the job done. But it all started with the starting pitching.
Kris Benson basically took the month of June off from striking people out, never recording more than three Ks in a start. He tossed thirty-two innings over five starts, never lasting fewer than six or more than seven, and struck out just seven batters the entire month. Twice he went a whole start without a single third strike. His first start in July wasn't too much better, with just two strikeouts over six innings. But on Thursday afternoon, something was different. Maybe Benson changed something about his approach. Maybe he's back on the right track. Or maybe the Washington offense could make Eric Milton look like a competent major league pitcher. But whatever the case, Benson had a fine game, striking out six batters over seven innings while allowing just two runs on seven hits and two walks, one of which was intentional. The Mets got effective starting pitching in every game of this series, and more often than not they scored enough runs to make it hold up.
But this time seven good innings weren't enough. They needed four more, and the bullpen got it done. While the Met bats were struggling to get anything done against the Nationals' pitchers, three Met relievers were shutting down the Nats in a similar fashion. Roberto Hernandez pitched a perfect eighth. Heath Bell got the ninth and tenth and allowed just a hit and a walk. Braden Looper walked a batter in the eleventh, but still was able to secure his twentieth save. Because while they certainly took their time, the Met offense, led by Mike Piazza, did come through with a third run in the end.
Piazza had three hits on the day, including a double and the game-winning single in the eleventh. After Carlos Beltran doubled for his second hit of the day and Cliff Floyd was intentionally walked, Piazza looped a single to right field only to wind up as the first victim of an unusual double play. Beltran scored, but when Piazza tried to advance to second on an ill-advised throw to the plate, he was thrown out, as was Floyd, trying to score on the throw to second. It was a reminder that just because they won three out of four doesn't mean these aren't the Mets. Piazza had driven in Beltran for the Mets' second run with his double in the fourth. Jose Reyes scored the first run of the game after leading off the game with a walk, believe it or not.
The games get a little less important over the weekend as the Mets (43-42) head to Pittsburgh to take on the lowly Pirates (37-47). The newly useful Victor Zambrano (4-7, 3.80) goes for the Mets in game one. Josh Fogg (4-4, 4.43) takes the hill for the once-proud franchise from the Steel City. ¶ joe | 11:30 PM |
