Bullpen Losses Yet Another Game for Mets

Wednesday, August 22 2012

Final Score: Colorado Rockies: 5 New York Mets: 2

Bullpen Losses yet another Game for Mets

Things are hitting new lows every night in Queens for the Mets.  After another disappointing loss to the Rockies 5-2 Wednesday night, the Mets now see their losing streak at four games.  They have lost 13 of their last 15 games at Citi Field and have an abysmal 11-27 record since the All-Star break.  They have also lost seven straight games to the Rockies at home.  The Mets record now sits 10 games under .500, the worst it has been in three years. 

It was yet another strong effort from a starting pitcher tonight for the Mets that was wasted by a poor showing at the plate and a poor performance from the bullpen.  This is becoming almost a nightly thing, making watching the game almost obsolete as the end result is almost always the same.

Tonight the starting pitcher to be let down was Matt Harvey.  Harvey received a no-decision in the game, being lifted after six innings with his pitch count at 102.  Harvey was dominant against the Rockies, carrying a no-hitter into the 4^th inning before Jonathan Herrera led off the frame with an opposite field single.  It was one of only three hits that Harvey would surrender on the night.

Harvey would also walk two batters and give up only one earned run, as Herrera scored in the 4^th inning off a Wilin Rosario sac fly.  Harvey almost single handedly made up for the base runners he surrendered going 2 for 2 at the plate with two singles, giving him a .455 batting average in the major leagues.

Harvey also struck out nine Rockies Wednesday night, giving him 43 in his first six major league appearances.  That is enough to become the Mets franchise leader through six appearances, giving him one more than Nolan Ryan had in his first six Mets appearances, even though one was out of the bullpen.

Harvey ended the night with six innings pitched, three hits and two walks resulting in one earned run and nine strikeouts.

Immediately after going to the bullpen, the tie game was broken open as Ramon Ramirez gave up a homerun to Rosario to start the 7^th inning and would see Tyler Colvin score on a D.J. Mathieu suicide squeeze.

The Rockies would later capitalize on a Kelly Shoppach throwing error in the ninth inning and plate two more insurance runs off Frank Francisco, who saw his ERA rise to 6.42.  The Mets were able to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but Ronny Cedeno flew out to end the game.

Scott Hairston’s first inning sac fly and Ike Davis’ eight-inning RBI single accounted for all of the Mets offense.  Jason Bay was heavily booed after going 0 for 3, dropping his average to .148.  With the tying runs on base in the 8^th inning, Bay was lifted for pinch-hitter Jordany Valdespin, who struck out to end the inning.

The Mets look to salvage the last game of the four game series Thursday afternoon as Collin McHugh will make his major league debut in place of Johan Santana against Tyler Chatwood (3-3, 5.46 ERA).

Fading Mets Drop Another to Rockies

Tuesday, August 21^st 2012

Final Score: Colorado Rockies: 6 New York Mets: 2

Fading Mets Drop Another to Rockies

The Mets season is starting to become tumultuous and hard to watch for fans, as they dropped another game to the lowly Rockies Tuesday night 6-2.  The loss drops the Mets to nine games under .500, a worse in the past three seasons.  Their overall record since the All-Star break now sits at 11-26.  Citi Field has become a place no person of the Mets organization or fans want to be, as they have lost 12 of the last 14 games there. 

The night started out very promising for the Mets.  They were able to stake Chris Young to an early lead again, going ahead 1-0 in the 4^th inning thanks to a sac fly from Daniel Murphy that knocked in Ruben Tejada.  That looked to be all the Mets would need with how Young was pitching, but everyone unraveled in the 6^th inning.

Young retired the first 15 Rockies that he faced, striking out four batters and having no one come close to getting a hit.  Then the sixth inning Young implosion that has become too much of a constant happened. 

D.J. Mathieu led off with a weak, but legitimate, infield hit which was followed by a Jonathan Herrera single.  Add in a Young throwing error and a two more hits and the Mets found themselves down 4-1 in a blink of an eye after starting the inning protecting a Young perfect game.

To end the night, Young finished with seven innings pitched, giving up four runs, two of which were earned, on five hits and one walk while striking out nine.  What started out looking like a potentially historic night ended in disappointment with Young’s record dropping to 3-7.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, manager Terry Collins was ejected from the game for arguing a call at second base.  Andres Torres got picked off second and got into a pickle, dashing back to second base and diving back in initially being called safe.  Rockies manager Jim Tracy came out to argue after his third baseman Jordan Pacheco had obviously tagged Torres out, and the call was overturned.  This in turn made Collins come out, who was subsequently run from the game moments later.

Not to be forgotten is the work of Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin, who was making his first start since May 1^st.  He went six innings, allowing only one run on four hits and no walks while striking out two.  It was Chacin’s first win in since August 28^th, 2011.

The Mets look to get in the win column Wednesday night as Matt Harvey (2-3, 3.00 ERA) will make his second start at Citi Field against Jeff Francis (4-4, 6.07 ERA).