Saturday, May 06, 2006
Mets 8, Braves 7 (14)
Mets 6, Braves 5
The Mets offense had awakened just in time. With the starting pitchers that they've sent out, it is remarkable that the Mets have won this series. That they have a chance, admittedly minute, to sweep it is amazing. Or possibly even amazin'. I was thinking the other day that if the Mets could just win every single game started by Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine and one of three of the others, they would coast to the playoffs. If the offense keeps showing up like this, maybe they can win more than one of those three.
On Friday it was Steve Trachsel getting smacked around a bit in the Braves' vain attempt to win a game on the road. He lasted six innings and gave up four runs on nine hits and one walk, striking out four. And Chad Bradford followed by allowing two runs in the two-thirds of the seventh inning that he pitched. At that point the Mets trailed 6-2 and things looked bleak.
But then the bats erupted for four runs in the bottom of the seventh on four hits, one walk and one error. For the most part, the bullpen held the Braves while the Mets got around to finishing them off. Aaron Heilman and Duaner Sanchez each pitched two scoreless innings. Billy Wagner gave up a home run in the top of the eleventh, but The Ghost Of Cliff Floyd Past tied things up in the bottom half with his third long ball of the year. And then David Wright won it in the fourteenth with a ground rule double.
Wright had a great game with three hits and three walks. Floyd had two hits and a walk and still managed to leave ten men on base. And Carlos Beltran had two hits, including a double, and two walks. But the star of the show was Jose Reyes, who was on base six times with a triple, four singles and an intentional walk. The game might have been over earlier had anyone been able to drive him home after he led off the eighth with that triple, but I digress. It was a great game from Reyes who is absolutely on fire, having raised his batting average 49 points in the last thirteen games.
Saturday, the Mets got even less from their starting pitching as Victor Zambrano couldn't even make it through the second inning. He retired the first four batters he faced, three of them via strikeout, but apparently all that effective pitching was unnatural and a strain on his arm, as he left the game with elbow troubles. That might not be the worst thing in the world if the Mets had anyone to replace him in the rotation, but with their depth playing for other teams and Heilman chained to the bullpen, Zambrano's health is actually a concern. In this game he was relieved by Darren Oliver, who pitched four decent innings, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out six.
The Mets were able to match those two runs early, putting up a single run in the first and third innings, the latter on Beltran's seventh home run of the season. But the Braves scored a run in the seventh against Bartolome Fortunato, making his season debut. He lasted one and two-thirds and gave up just one hit, a home run by Adam LaRoche.
But the Mets again responded with the big inning, putting up four in the seventh. Four hits and three walks built the rally that was keyed by Kazuo Matsui's two-run double. This inning also included one of Reyes's three hits. He also had a double later in the game and is now hitting a very respectable .280/.345/.432 on the season.
What was left of the Mets' bullpen was less effective on this day, though. Bradford got one out via the strikeout, but also allowed one run on one hit and one walk before being relieved by Pedro Feliciano, who gave up one hit and struck out two. And with a lead of two runs in the ninth, Wagner was apparently unavailable. So Willie Randolph turned to Jorge Julio. Seriously.
Julio struck out the first batter he faced, giving one the impression that this might not be a disaster. But then he walked a guy. And gave up a hit. And gave up another hit. At this point Heilman was warming up, making everyone watching wonder why he wasn't in the game in the first place. But Julio got the next two batters and escaped with a one-run win and his first save of the season. Hopefully he will be one for one in save chances at the end of the season.
With victory in this series assured, the Mets will take a day off from seriously trying to win and send Jose Lima (2-3, 5.10 in freaking AAA) out to pitch. He will be opposed by John Smoltz (1-2, 4.05) which would border on the unfair if not for the nine-game gap between these two teams in the standings. If the Mets manage to win that one, I may entirely lose my sense of perspective. ¶ joe | 9:20 PM |
Mets 6, Braves 5
The Mets offense had awakened just in time. With the starting pitchers that they've sent out, it is remarkable that the Mets have won this series. That they have a chance, admittedly minute, to sweep it is amazing. Or possibly even amazin'. I was thinking the other day that if the Mets could just win every single game started by Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine and one of three of the others, they would coast to the playoffs. If the offense keeps showing up like this, maybe they can win more than one of those three.
On Friday it was Steve Trachsel getting smacked around a bit in the Braves' vain attempt to win a game on the road. He lasted six innings and gave up four runs on nine hits and one walk, striking out four. And Chad Bradford followed by allowing two runs in the two-thirds of the seventh inning that he pitched. At that point the Mets trailed 6-2 and things looked bleak.
But then the bats erupted for four runs in the bottom of the seventh on four hits, one walk and one error. For the most part, the bullpen held the Braves while the Mets got around to finishing them off. Aaron Heilman and Duaner Sanchez each pitched two scoreless innings. Billy Wagner gave up a home run in the top of the eleventh, but The Ghost Of Cliff Floyd Past tied things up in the bottom half with his third long ball of the year. And then David Wright won it in the fourteenth with a ground rule double.
Wright had a great game with three hits and three walks. Floyd had two hits and a walk and still managed to leave ten men on base. And Carlos Beltran had two hits, including a double, and two walks. But the star of the show was Jose Reyes, who was on base six times with a triple, four singles and an intentional walk. The game might have been over earlier had anyone been able to drive him home after he led off the eighth with that triple, but I digress. It was a great game from Reyes who is absolutely on fire, having raised his batting average 49 points in the last thirteen games.
Saturday, the Mets got even less from their starting pitching as Victor Zambrano couldn't even make it through the second inning. He retired the first four batters he faced, three of them via strikeout, but apparently all that effective pitching was unnatural and a strain on his arm, as he left the game with elbow troubles. That might not be the worst thing in the world if the Mets had anyone to replace him in the rotation, but with their depth playing for other teams and Heilman chained to the bullpen, Zambrano's health is actually a concern. In this game he was relieved by Darren Oliver, who pitched four decent innings, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out six.
The Mets were able to match those two runs early, putting up a single run in the first and third innings, the latter on Beltran's seventh home run of the season. But the Braves scored a run in the seventh against Bartolome Fortunato, making his season debut. He lasted one and two-thirds and gave up just one hit, a home run by Adam LaRoche.
But the Mets again responded with the big inning, putting up four in the seventh. Four hits and three walks built the rally that was keyed by Kazuo Matsui's two-run double. This inning also included one of Reyes's three hits. He also had a double later in the game and is now hitting a very respectable .280/.345/.432 on the season.
What was left of the Mets' bullpen was less effective on this day, though. Bradford got one out via the strikeout, but also allowed one run on one hit and one walk before being relieved by Pedro Feliciano, who gave up one hit and struck out two. And with a lead of two runs in the ninth, Wagner was apparently unavailable. So Willie Randolph turned to Jorge Julio. Seriously.
Julio struck out the first batter he faced, giving one the impression that this might not be a disaster. But then he walked a guy. And gave up a hit. And gave up another hit. At this point Heilman was warming up, making everyone watching wonder why he wasn't in the game in the first place. But Julio got the next two batters and escaped with a one-run win and his first save of the season. Hopefully he will be one for one in save chances at the end of the season.
With victory in this series assured, the Mets will take a day off from seriously trying to win and send Jose Lima (2-3, 5.10 in freaking AAA) out to pitch. He will be opposed by John Smoltz (1-2, 4.05) which would border on the unfair if not for the nine-game gap between these two teams in the standings. If the Mets manage to win that one, I may entirely lose my sense of perspective. ¶ joe | 9:20 PM |
