Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Reds 6, Mets 5
Jose Reyes had a spectacular game, but Billy Wagner let it end on a sour note. Reyes became the ninth Met to hit for the cycle, finishing it off with a single in the eighth. He led off the game with his seventh home run of the year, matching his total from last year, and just kept up his absurdly hot hitting. When Reyes is at his, he's as fun to watch as anyone in the game, and I don't know that he's ever played better than he has in the last couple of weeks.
He wasn't the only Met who had a big offensive game. David Wright and Jose Valentin each had three hits. Wright hit a double and Valentin homered in the seventh to give the Mets a 5-4 lead. Carlos Beltran had two hits including a double.
Alay Soler didn't have a great game on the mound, but things could have gone better with some help from his defense. He gave up four runs, three earned, in five innings. He allowed eight hits and two walks while striking out four. But Xavier Nady's defensive shortcomings in right field as compared to Endy Chavez, who was in left, or Lastings Milledge, who did not play, were on display. And Paul Lo Duca had as bad a game with the glove as he did with the bat, allowing one passed ball and letting two wild pitches get by. He went hitless in five at bats as he appears to have gotten an early start on his annual second-half collapse. There is no good reason why Ramon Castro isn't playing more.
Heath Bell, Darren Oliver and Aaron Heilman each pitched one scoreless inning of relief in a tight game. Bell and Heilman had two strikeouts apiece. Wagner also struck out a pair, but it took him a bit longer. After retiring the first two batters he faced, one via strikeout, he walked the next two and gave up singles to the next two, allowing the runs that tied and won the game to score. He struck out the next batter, but the Mets were unable to come back in the bottom of the ninth.
So the Mets will have to win tomorrow afternoon to avoid losing their third straight series at home. Pedro Martinez (6-3, 3.01), who's been a bit shaky lately, will start for the Mets. Eric Milton (4-3, 4.14) goes for the Reds. ¶ joe | 11:28 PM |
Jose Reyes had a spectacular game, but Billy Wagner let it end on a sour note. Reyes became the ninth Met to hit for the cycle, finishing it off with a single in the eighth. He led off the game with his seventh home run of the year, matching his total from last year, and just kept up his absurdly hot hitting. When Reyes is at his, he's as fun to watch as anyone in the game, and I don't know that he's ever played better than he has in the last couple of weeks.
He wasn't the only Met who had a big offensive game. David Wright and Jose Valentin each had three hits. Wright hit a double and Valentin homered in the seventh to give the Mets a 5-4 lead. Carlos Beltran had two hits including a double.
Alay Soler didn't have a great game on the mound, but things could have gone better with some help from his defense. He gave up four runs, three earned, in five innings. He allowed eight hits and two walks while striking out four. But Xavier Nady's defensive shortcomings in right field as compared to Endy Chavez, who was in left, or Lastings Milledge, who did not play, were on display. And Paul Lo Duca had as bad a game with the glove as he did with the bat, allowing one passed ball and letting two wild pitches get by. He went hitless in five at bats as he appears to have gotten an early start on his annual second-half collapse. There is no good reason why Ramon Castro isn't playing more.
Heath Bell, Darren Oliver and Aaron Heilman each pitched one scoreless inning of relief in a tight game. Bell and Heilman had two strikeouts apiece. Wagner also struck out a pair, but it took him a bit longer. After retiring the first two batters he faced, one via strikeout, he walked the next two and gave up singles to the next two, allowing the runs that tied and won the game to score. He struck out the next batter, but the Mets were unable to come back in the bottom of the ninth.
So the Mets will have to win tomorrow afternoon to avoid losing their third straight series at home. Pedro Martinez (6-3, 3.01), who's been a bit shaky lately, will start for the Mets. Eric Milton (4-3, 4.14) goes for the Reds. ¶ joe | 11:28 PM |
