There are amazing games, tough losses, blowout wins, heartbreakers, upsets, and nailbiters throughout the course of the 162 game marathon that is the major league baseball season.
There are also fun games. Last night the Mets played a fun game.
Surprise starter Brian Stokes used a blazing mid-90s fastball and sharp breaking curve to get through the first 5 innings with only two runs allowed. He was helped by his offense and entered the 6th with a 4-2 lead. One more inning to a quality start and a personal highlight for the 28-year old journeyman.
Then "it" happened--a changeup to Mike Jacobs that was either too high or too low--regardless, it was in Jacobs' sweet spot and the tall slugger promptly deposited the pitch over the rightfield fence--tie game.
Still it was a decent start--5 2/3rds against a very powerful offensive club. Stokes pitched well enough to give the team a boost and keep them in the game.
"I was a little jittery at the start," Stokes said. "I missed a couple spots here and there, but overall it felt great."
Scott Schoeneweis came on in relief and got the final out of the 6th to set-up the heroics for the surging Mets.
We mentioned earlier that Stokes got some help early in the game--it was provided by David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado.
DW is on fire. 3 for 4 on the day with two doubles. He is a second half monster--always has been--and is 100% locked in at the plate right now.
In his last 4 games he is 9 for 18 with 3 doubles and 2 HRs. Wright now has 31 doubles on the year and is poised for his 4th consecutive season with 40 or more two-baggers.
I've been watching Mets baseball for 30+ years, and I swear that Carlos Delgado's uber-bomb over the bullpen was the longest HR I have ever seen to that part of Shea. It was estimated at 455 feet, and if they said it went 500 I would not have been surprised--it was absolutely hammered.
Carlos Beltran went 3 for 3 with a walk, and finally snapped his homerless drought--in fact he almost had two on the night.
Beltran is batting a lofty .387 in August with a .441 OBP, with 4 multi-hit efforts in 8 games. This is the hot Beltran that carries a team--this is our star centerfielder--this is the guy that the lineup is centered around. It really is nice to see him swinging it like he's capable of.
Oh, did I mention Daniel Murphy broke the game open with a 2-run opposite field homerun?
Yeah, THAT guy. The one hitting .500. The kid that has absolutely sent a jolt through the entire team. The kid that takes pitchers into deep counts and uses the whole field. The guy that reminds me of Brian Giles.
The great fans at Shea rewarded him with a curtain call after the dinger (with a little prodding from Delgado and Castro)....it's a veritable love-fest with Daniel Murphy and Met Nation, and I love it!
"It was unbelievable," Murphy said of the feeling he had rounding the bases for the first time in a major-league game. "I've never experienced anything like that. I was able to extend the lead right there -- that was the biggest thing -- get a couple more runs on the board and get the 'W'."
The bullpen was shaky--actually Joe Smith was shaky. But Aaron Heilman came in and pitched a perfect 9th for his second save in as many days. Duaner Sanchez also pitched a strong inning, and he looks to be regaining his velocity--he touched 92 on the gun twice.
All in all a fun game for the Mets, who remain one game back of the Phils, and put some distance between themselves and the Marlins. A win today--a sweep of the series--would be huge. Big Pelf is on the hill.
Enjoy your coffee!
| Scoreboard |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Florida (61-56) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0 |
| N.Y. Mets (62-54) « | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | x | 8 | 13 | 0 |
| New York Mets |
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Jose Reyes, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .301 |
| Nick Evans, LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .263 |
| Duaner Sanchez, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Joe Smith, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Pedro Feliciano, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Endy Chavez, RF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .269 |
| David Wright, 3B | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .292 |
| Carlos Beltran, CF | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .274 |
| Carlos Delgado, 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .264 |
| Fernando Tatis, RF-LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .302 |
| Damion Easley, 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .269 |
| Robinson Cancel, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
| Brian Stokes, P | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Scott Schoeneweis, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| a- Daniel Murphy, PH-LF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Aaron Heilman, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 35 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
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| Batting |
| Fielding |
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