Mets Drop Last Game of West Coast Trip

Sunday August 5^th, 2012

Final Score: New York Mets: 3 San Diego Padres: 7

Mets Drop Last Game of West Coast Trip

The Mets had a disappointing end to what was an overall positive west coast trip, ending with a loss to the San Diego Padres 7-3 Sunday afternoon.  Even with the loss to the end the trip, the Mets will head home with a 6-5 record out west against the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres.

Matt Harvey had a strong start to the road trip winning in Arizona for his first career win, but did not have as positive outcome this time around.  Harvey has a promising career ahead of him, but will undoubtedly have his rough patches like this afternoon.

Harvey had a rough afternoon, surrendering two two-run homeruns in spacious Petco Park.  Chase Headley in the first inning and Yonder Alonso in the third were able to tag Harvey for homers, making Harvey only the second visiting pitcher this season to surrender multiple homers in a game. 

Harvey’s final line was uninspiring ending with five innings pitched, eight hits, five runs, one walk and five strikeouts on 81 pitches.  If not for the trouble with the long ball, Harvey’s stat line looks much more promising.

The only noise made by the Mets offense this afternoon was from Ronny Cedeno, who hit a pinch hit two- run homerun off Jason Marquis in the 6^th inning after coming on for Harvey.  Marquis had a strong game for the Padres, retiring 14 batters after allowing a leadoff single to start the game. 

Jason Bay had a sacrifice fly in the 7^th inning to bring the Mets within two runs, but again was hitless at the plate.  Bay finished the road trip going 2-for-31, good for a .065 batting average.  Bay should be in the lineup Tuesday night against a lefty but should expect to see his playing time diminish and dwindle as the season winds down. 

Next up for the Mets, after a day off on Monday, is a three game series with Jose Reyes and the Miami Marlins at Citi Field.  Reyes will bring a major league season high 24 game hitting streak with him.  Jon Niese (8-5, 3.72 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets in opener and be opposed by Marlins starter Wade LeBlanc (1-1, 1.35 ERA).  By game time Tuesday, the Mets should also have better assessments on the extent of the injuries to Tim Byrdak and Kirk Nieuwenhuis.   

Mets Comeback Falls Short, Lose to Cubs 7/6

Final Score: Chicago Cubs: 8 New York Mets: 7

The Mets mounted a valiant comeback tonight at Citi Field, but in the end were not able to finish it, falling to the lowly Cubs 8-7.

Starting pitcher Johan Santana had a rough outing, giving up seven earned runs on a career high tying 13 hits in only 4 2/3 innings.  He was able to strike out six Cubs without walking a batter.  Santana may have also suffered an ankle injury in the 5^th inning when he was unable to corral a toss from first baseman Justin Turner and was stepped on by Reed Johnson.

Three of the 13 hits that Santana surrendered were homeruns, giving up one to Cubs right fielder Reed Johnson to lead off the game then homeruns to Anthony Rizzo and Jeff Baker in the 5^th before being taken out of the game.  In Santana’s previous three starts he had allowed only two earned runs in 20 innings.

Reed Johnson and Anthony Rizzo each had four hits for the Cubs, leading the offensive push for the team. 

The bullpen again was able to pitch well for the Mets, giving up only one run in four innings.  They were able to keep the game within reach for the offense to mount almost mount an improbable comeback.

In the 9^th inning, the Mets were able to get things going against Cubs closer Carlos Marmol.  After striking out Kirk Nieuwenhuis to start the inning, Marmol surrendered a homerun to pinch hitter Jordany Valdespin.  He then would walk the next three batters in Ruben Tejada, Daniel Murphy and David Wright to load the bases.  Ike Davis pinch hit for Scott Hairston and was able to deliver a two-RBI single.  Lucas Duda was up next and ripped a hard line drive up the middle but it was snagged by Marmol who doubled Davis off first base, ending the Mets comeback.

Duda was able to get the Mets scoring started earlier in the game, blasting his 12^th homerun of the season in the 2^nd inning off Cubs starter Travis Wood. 

Justin Turner also hit the ball well for the Mets tonight, getting a career high tying four hits in the game, knocking in an RBI with a single in the 8^th inning. 

The Mets record this season against left-handed pitchers drops to 12-20 after Wells was able to get the quality start tonight.

The Mets and Cubs will get back at it tomorrow afternoon at 4:15 P.M. ET.  Dillon Gee (5-7 4.34 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Mets against former Notre Dame wide receiver and Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija (6-7 4.77 ERA).

Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets Post Game Recap 7-3

Final Score: Philadelphia Phillies: 1 New York Mets: 11

The Mets opened up their homestand on a very positive note, hammering the Phillies Tuesday night 11-1.  Even with centerfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis being scratched before game time because of a hand contusion, the Mets were still able to let it rip on offense.

After having a great June, going 3-1 with a 1.89 ERA, Jon Niese started July off on just as strong a note.

For a second start in a row, Jon Niese was handed a huge lead and was able to protect it.

Niese threw eight innings of one run ball, allowing only three hits and two walks.  He also added three strikeouts, with his only blemish coming off the bat of Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, who hit a solo homerun leading off the 2^nd inning.

The Mets offense got off to an even faster start, scoring in the first inning off Vance Worley, who entered the game with a 2.92 ERA but did not leave with one as low.  A David Wright groundball scored Daniel Murphy after he tripled, which was a start to another outstanding hitting night for Murphy.  It was Wright’s 51^st RBI of the season, and he would get RBI’s 52, 53 and 54 in the 6^th inning, launching his 10^th homerun of the season off Phillies reliever Brian Sanches.

Murphy would add two doubles and a single to his night’s totals, also knocking in another four RBI’s tonight, bringing his season total to 42.  Murphy also had a highlight play at second base, making a leaping grab on a line drive.

Niese would help his own cause in the 2^nd inning, knocking in two Mets with a single.  The inning could have been blown open even more if not for Josh Thole and Ruben Tejada both being thrown out on the base paths. 

Ruben Tejada was thrown out at home, but continued his torrid pace at the plate.  Tejada went 3-5, knocking in one RBI and scoring twice.  His average now sits at .326 with a .377 on base percentage, a big reason why the Mets have been successful because Tejada has been setting the table in front of the middle of the order.

Next up for the Mets and Phillies is a 4^th of July matinee with the first pitch scheduled for 1:10 P.M. ET. Chris Young (2-1 3.30 ERA) will take the mound for the Mets against the Phillies’ Cliff Lee (0-5 4.13 ERA).

New York Mets vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Post Game Recap 5-21

Final Score: New York Mets: 4 Pittsburgh Pirates: 5

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Johan Santana was unable to protect the four run lead staked to him tonight, as the Mets dropped the opening game in the series against the Pirates tonight 5-4.  A 7^th inning homerun by catcher and number eight hitter Michael McKenry off Santana tied the game, starting a slide the Mets were unable to recover from.

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 Because of a miscommunication with leftfielder Mike Baxter, Kirk Nieuwenhuis dropped a fly ball starting off the bottom of the 8^th inning off the bat of Neil Walker, leading to a three-base error.  Walker later scored in the inning off a sac fly by Clint Barmes off Jon Rauch.  Walker barely slid in ahead of a Lucas Duda throw from right field.

This was the second time this season that Nieuwenhuis had a big error while manning center field.  The last occurrence was April 21^st against the San Francisco Giants when he over ran a ball, prolonging the game.  The Mets were able to come away with a victory in that game, as the Giants returned the favor with their own miscues.

David Wright stayed hot at the plate, raising his average to .415 after going 2-4 with a walk and RBI.  Wright’s RBI single in the 2^nd inning capped off a four run inning against Pirates starter Erik Bedard.  Where Wright was wrong tonight was in the field, where he committed his second and third errors of the season.  Luckily for the Mets, neither error proved costly as the Pirates were unable to take advantage. 

After coming out strong off his return from the DL, Andres Torres is now in a big slump.  Tonight he went 0-4 with a walk, now hitless in his last 14 at-bats.  Over the last 11 games, it doesn’t get much better as Torres is 2-38.  Tonight he stranded the go-ahead run in the 8^th inning, hitting into a fielders choice.

Ronny Cedeno had a strong performance in his return to Pittsburgh, where he was the starting shortstop last season.  Cedeno went 2-4 tonight with one run and one RBI. 

The Mets and Pirates face off in the 2^nd game of their three game series tomorrow night at 7:05.  R.A. Dickey will toe the rubber for the Mets, sporting a 5-1 record and a 3.76 ERA.  He will be opposed by James McDonald, who has been pitching outstanding for the Pirates recently, sporting a 3-2 record with a 2.68 ERA.