Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Mets 8, Cardinals 7
John Maine started off the evening by making Mets fans very thankful that Tom Glavine is going to be okay. Carlos Beltran ended it by reminding us not to worry so much about the pitching.
Maine gave up seven runs in five innings, all of them driven in on a pair of home runs by Albert Pujols. Maine struck out five and gave up just six hits and two walks. But the two walks were issued to the guys hitting directly in front of Pujols in the fifth inning and the Cardinals' first baseman responded by smacking a grand slam.
New York hitters had similar success against St. Louis starter Jeff Weaver, though. It was Carlos Delgado who had the pair of home runs including a grand slam for the Mets. The two blasts gave him 31 this season and an even 400 in his career. Paul Lo Duca also had an excellent game with three singles and a very good play to tag a runner out at the plate. Still, the Mets trailed by one run when the ninth inning arrived. Lo Duca singled with one out and Beltran followed by driving the first pitch he saw over the right field wall to end the game and remind Mr. Pujols that while the NL East may have been decided already, the race for National League MVP rages on.
The Mets couldn't have made it to the ninth inning with the score so close if not for some excellent work from the bullpen. Guillermo Mota made his debut with the team and had a good inning, allowing one hit and striking out two. Pedro Feliciano then walked two of the three batters he faced, but Chad Bradford was there as usual to save the day, getting one double play to bail out Feliciano and then another in the following inning after he got into a bit of his own trouble. And Aaron Heilman was terrific in the eighth, pitching a perfect inning with two strikeouts.
Tomorrow night's game presents a fairly favorable pitching matchup as the Mets look to win this series against a team they may meet again in October. Steve Trachsel (12-5, 4.79) will start for the Mets. His opponent will be Mark Mulder (6-5, 6.09), who hasn't pitched in over two months and who allowed 35 runs in his last five starts prior to landing on the disable list. He's allowed at least six runs in a third of his starts this season, though by far his best start came against the Mets back in May when he shut them out for eight and one-third innings. I would be a bit surprised to see him repeat that performance tomorrow. ¶ joe | 11:55 PM |
John Maine started off the evening by making Mets fans very thankful that Tom Glavine is going to be okay. Carlos Beltran ended it by reminding us not to worry so much about the pitching.
Maine gave up seven runs in five innings, all of them driven in on a pair of home runs by Albert Pujols. Maine struck out five and gave up just six hits and two walks. But the two walks were issued to the guys hitting directly in front of Pujols in the fifth inning and the Cardinals' first baseman responded by smacking a grand slam.
New York hitters had similar success against St. Louis starter Jeff Weaver, though. It was Carlos Delgado who had the pair of home runs including a grand slam for the Mets. The two blasts gave him 31 this season and an even 400 in his career. Paul Lo Duca also had an excellent game with three singles and a very good play to tag a runner out at the plate. Still, the Mets trailed by one run when the ninth inning arrived. Lo Duca singled with one out and Beltran followed by driving the first pitch he saw over the right field wall to end the game and remind Mr. Pujols that while the NL East may have been decided already, the race for National League MVP rages on.
The Mets couldn't have made it to the ninth inning with the score so close if not for some excellent work from the bullpen. Guillermo Mota made his debut with the team and had a good inning, allowing one hit and striking out two. Pedro Feliciano then walked two of the three batters he faced, but Chad Bradford was there as usual to save the day, getting one double play to bail out Feliciano and then another in the following inning after he got into a bit of his own trouble. And Aaron Heilman was terrific in the eighth, pitching a perfect inning with two strikeouts.
Tomorrow night's game presents a fairly favorable pitching matchup as the Mets look to win this series against a team they may meet again in October. Steve Trachsel (12-5, 4.79) will start for the Mets. His opponent will be Mark Mulder (6-5, 6.09), who hasn't pitched in over two months and who allowed 35 runs in his last five starts prior to landing on the disable list. He's allowed at least six runs in a third of his starts this season, though by far his best start came against the Mets back in May when he shut them out for eight and one-third innings. I would be a bit surprised to see him repeat that performance tomorrow. ¶ joe | 11:55 PM |
