Monday, July 04, 2005
Mets 5, Nationals 2
Sadly, it's never appeared that Kazuhisa Ishii has been in any real danger of losing his spot in the Mets rotation, no matter how much his performance may have warranted it. But even if he had, today's solid outing would probably be the sort of thing that would save him for at least a few starts. He didn't dominate the opposing hitters, but he was good for as long as he was in the game and played a significant role in the Mets cutting the Nationals down to size.
Ishii only lasted five and one-third innings and was removed after just eighty-eight pitches, but he was unusually effective along the way. He struck out five batters while walking just one. And he allowed just two runs on five hits, lowering his ERA for the season to 5.50. The Nationals are no offensive powerhouse, having scored fewer runs than all but two major league teams. But Ishii got the job done, at least until he had to be removed with a runner on second and one out in the sixth.
The bullpen came to his aid, though, as three relievers pitched very effectively. Heath Bell was tasked with getting the Mets out of the small jam Ishii left, and did so with ease, retiring the only two batters he faced, one via the strikeout. Then Roberto Hernandez followed with two excellent innings to earn a well-deserved win. He was perfect in the seventh and eighth and struck out a pair.
Of course, it would have been just like the Nationals to score two runs and win somehow. But a significantly reorganized Mets' lineup was able to overcome whatever black magic has gotten the Nats this far. Jose Reyes was dropped to a spot more befitting his production, batting seventh, and had an excellent game with a pair of singles, a stolen base, two runs and an RBI. And he worked some long at bats, making it seem on more than one occasion as though he might conceivably draw a walk. New leadoff man Mike Cameron had a double and a single, while Carlos Beltran had two singles and a walk out of the second slot. David Wright and Marlon Anderson each had doubles and Anderson also had a single.
Four of the Mets' ten hits, including another one of the pinch variety by Jose Offerman, came in the top of the ninth as they scored three runs to break a tie and give closer Braden Looper plenty of breathing room. For once he didn't need it, as he retired all three batters he faced. He did return to his normal tactic of not striking anyone out in earning his eighteenth save of the season.
So the Mets move back to .500 and the Nationals have allowed more runs than they've scored on the season. The Mets are still in last place and trail the first-place Nats by nine games. But tomorrow night's pitching matchup will be what's known in the business as a "mismatch". All Star Pedro Martinez (9-2, 2.74) goes for the Mets while the Nats send former two-time All Star Esteban Loaiza (4-5, 3.81) to the hill. If the Mets can keep up this "run scoring" thing, this one shouldn't be too much of a problem. ¶ joe | 10:37 PM |
Sadly, it's never appeared that Kazuhisa Ishii has been in any real danger of losing his spot in the Mets rotation, no matter how much his performance may have warranted it. But even if he had, today's solid outing would probably be the sort of thing that would save him for at least a few starts. He didn't dominate the opposing hitters, but he was good for as long as he was in the game and played a significant role in the Mets cutting the Nationals down to size.
Ishii only lasted five and one-third innings and was removed after just eighty-eight pitches, but he was unusually effective along the way. He struck out five batters while walking just one. And he allowed just two runs on five hits, lowering his ERA for the season to 5.50. The Nationals are no offensive powerhouse, having scored fewer runs than all but two major league teams. But Ishii got the job done, at least until he had to be removed with a runner on second and one out in the sixth.
The bullpen came to his aid, though, as three relievers pitched very effectively. Heath Bell was tasked with getting the Mets out of the small jam Ishii left, and did so with ease, retiring the only two batters he faced, one via the strikeout. Then Roberto Hernandez followed with two excellent innings to earn a well-deserved win. He was perfect in the seventh and eighth and struck out a pair.
Of course, it would have been just like the Nationals to score two runs and win somehow. But a significantly reorganized Mets' lineup was able to overcome whatever black magic has gotten the Nats this far. Jose Reyes was dropped to a spot more befitting his production, batting seventh, and had an excellent game with a pair of singles, a stolen base, two runs and an RBI. And he worked some long at bats, making it seem on more than one occasion as though he might conceivably draw a walk. New leadoff man Mike Cameron had a double and a single, while Carlos Beltran had two singles and a walk out of the second slot. David Wright and Marlon Anderson each had doubles and Anderson also had a single.
Four of the Mets' ten hits, including another one of the pinch variety by Jose Offerman, came in the top of the ninth as they scored three runs to break a tie and give closer Braden Looper plenty of breathing room. For once he didn't need it, as he retired all three batters he faced. He did return to his normal tactic of not striking anyone out in earning his eighteenth save of the season.
So the Mets move back to .500 and the Nationals have allowed more runs than they've scored on the season. The Mets are still in last place and trail the first-place Nats by nine games. But tomorrow night's pitching matchup will be what's known in the business as a "mismatch". All Star Pedro Martinez (9-2, 2.74) goes for the Mets while the Nats send former two-time All Star Esteban Loaiza (4-5, 3.81) to the hill. If the Mets can keep up this "run scoring" thing, this one shouldn't be too much of a problem. ¶ joe | 10:37 PM |
