Thursday, September 28, 2006
Braves 12, Mets 0
Braves 13, Mets 1
Mets 7, Braves 4
These past three days have been hard on the Mets' championship aspirations. Oliver Perez and Heath Bell getting torched on Tuesday was fairly inconsequential. And the fact that the offense couldn't get anything done against John Smoltz wasn't too alarming. Wednesday was a different story.
Pedro Martinez was completely ineffective, allowing seven runs in two and two-thirds innings on eight hits and two walks. He was clearly not healthy enough to pitch well and the subsequent announcement that he would not be able to pitch in the playoff wasn't too surprising. If he had pitched, there would have been little reason but pure hope to think he might be successful. The Mets got through much of the last six months without Pedro, or at least without Pedro. Now we'll see if they can do it for a few more weeks.
Thursday's game was a bit more encouraging, as NLDS game one starter Orlando Hernandez got through five good innings while the offense came alive. El Duque allowed just one unearned run on three hits and five walks. He struck out nine. It wasn't a perfect night, as he needed 102 pitched to get through five frames. But right now he looks capable of at least giving the Mets six good innings and letting the bullpen handle the rest. That may be enough.
After the Mets scored just one run on fourteen hits and five walks in the first two games of the series, Thursday's awakening was quite a relief. Ten hits and eight walks led to seven runs, as every starter aside from Shawn Green contributed something. Even El Duque pulled off a sacrifice. Everyone else had at least one hit and Jose Reyes, Paul Lo Duca and Carlos Delgado each had two. Both of Delgado's were doubles and he drove in four runs. Carlos Beltran had just one hit, but it was a rather historic one. He hit his forty-first home run of the season, thus tying Todd Hundley's single-season team record. Beltran has had a great season, perhaps the Most Valuable season of any National League Player, and I hope he breaks the record in the next three games.
Those three games will be on the road against the Nationals (70-88) as the Mets (94-65) try not to get anyone else hurt before the playoffs. John Maine (6-5, 3.64), whose place in the playoff rotation has recently become a lot clearer, will start the first game. Tony Armas Jr. (9-12, 5.07) will pitch for Washington. ¶ joe | 11:19 PM |
Braves 13, Mets 1
Mets 7, Braves 4
These past three days have been hard on the Mets' championship aspirations. Oliver Perez and Heath Bell getting torched on Tuesday was fairly inconsequential. And the fact that the offense couldn't get anything done against John Smoltz wasn't too alarming. Wednesday was a different story.
Pedro Martinez was completely ineffective, allowing seven runs in two and two-thirds innings on eight hits and two walks. He was clearly not healthy enough to pitch well and the subsequent announcement that he would not be able to pitch in the playoff wasn't too surprising. If he had pitched, there would have been little reason but pure hope to think he might be successful. The Mets got through much of the last six months without Pedro, or at least without Pedro. Now we'll see if they can do it for a few more weeks.
Thursday's game was a bit more encouraging, as NLDS game one starter Orlando Hernandez got through five good innings while the offense came alive. El Duque allowed just one unearned run on three hits and five walks. He struck out nine. It wasn't a perfect night, as he needed 102 pitched to get through five frames. But right now he looks capable of at least giving the Mets six good innings and letting the bullpen handle the rest. That may be enough.
After the Mets scored just one run on fourteen hits and five walks in the first two games of the series, Thursday's awakening was quite a relief. Ten hits and eight walks led to seven runs, as every starter aside from Shawn Green contributed something. Even El Duque pulled off a sacrifice. Everyone else had at least one hit and Jose Reyes, Paul Lo Duca and Carlos Delgado each had two. Both of Delgado's were doubles and he drove in four runs. Carlos Beltran had just one hit, but it was a rather historic one. He hit his forty-first home run of the season, thus tying Todd Hundley's single-season team record. Beltran has had a great season, perhaps the Most Valuable season of any National League Player, and I hope he breaks the record in the next three games.
Those three games will be on the road against the Nationals (70-88) as the Mets (94-65) try not to get anyone else hurt before the playoffs. John Maine (6-5, 3.64), whose place in the playoff rotation has recently become a lot clearer, will start the first game. Tony Armas Jr. (9-12, 5.07) will pitch for Washington. ¶ joe | 11:19 PM |
