Mets Edge Brewers 5-4 April 17, 2009
Livan Hernandez did his job as the fifth starter, he kept them in the game. His line doesn’t look great at 5 IP and 4 ER though. But he was doing pretty well until the sixth inning when Ryan Braun hit a three run bomb to left field. He had a little trouble in the fifth inning, but the shot by Braun put the Brewers ahead 4-3.
The bullpen continued their excellent work by throwing four shutout innings. What a change from last season!
The Mets were able to work themselves back into the game in the seventh when Gary Sheffield hit a solo homer, the 500th of his career. He got a nice standing ovation from the crowd as well. The team appears to have embraced Sheffield, they were all out on the field to greet him as he crossed home plate. The homer tied the game at 4-4.
In the bottom of the ninth, Carlos Delgado hit a double to left field. In another nice change from last season, Luis Castillo was able to bring him home with a single to score the winning run.
The Mets are now 6-5 on the season.
Game Preview: Brewers at Mets [Game 10] April 17, 2009
Milwaukee Brewers (3-6 Road: 1-2) at New York Mets (4-5 Home: 1-2) 7:10 pm
Dave Bush (0-0 6.14) vs. Livan Hernandez (1-0 2.70)
What to watch: Bush got hit in a relief appearance but had a good start against the Cubs last Saturday, going 6.1 innings and giving up 3 runs. Hernandez was a nice surprise in his first start as a Met. The Brewers come to town losing four of their last five games. There are rumors that Jeff Suppan has been so bad that the Brewers may even skip his start on Sunday.
Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Live Game Chat during the game to chat with other Mets fans!
Video: Highlights Mets-Padres April 16, 2009
Padres, Peavey Top Mets 6-5 April 16, 2009
The rubber game of the series started well for the Mets with Carlos Delgado hitting a 3-run homer in the bottom of the first. But it didn’t last long as John Maine fell apart in the third inning and only lasted through five. He gave up 7 hits and 3 walks totaling 6 runs.
Maine’s velocity looked good but his control wasn’t. His pitches consistently were over the middle of the plate. It was a poor outing especially considering the news that Mike Pelfrey may have to miss a start due to forearm tendinitis.
The Mets looked like they might come back when Ramon Castro hit a 2-run homer in the eighth inning off Duaner Sanchez. But the Mets couldn’t put anything else together to tie up the game.
The Mets lose their second series of the season. This one particularly hurts, losing a home series to a team from the west coast that doesn’t figure to contend this season is tough.
The Mets drop to 4-5.
Game Preview: Padres at Mets [Game 9] April 16, 2009
San Diego Padres (6-3 Road: 1-1) at New York Mets (4-4 Home: 1-1) 7:10 pm
Jake Peavey (1-1 3.52) vs. John Maine (0-0 3.60)
What to watch: Maine had a pretty good game in his first start against the Marlins, going 5 innings and giving up 2 runs. With Mike Pelfrey feeling the effects of tendinitis, the Mets need Maine and the other starters to make sure they pick up the slack. The Mets need to take the rubber game of the series tonight against a weaker team from the west coast. This is the kind of series that the Mets need to win this season if they expect to be contenders.
Don’t forget to visit The Mets Report Live Game Chat during the game to chat with other Mets fans!
Mets Pelfrey May Have Tendenitis
Starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey reported to the team that he is experiencing some soreness in his forearm. It’s been diagnosed as tendinitis and may impact Pelfrey’s ability to make his next start on Sunday.
The good news is that this may explain Pelfrey’s two sub-par starts that he’s made so far this season. The bad news is that the Mets are counting on Pelfrey to put up some big numbers as their #2 starter this season.
From NY Post:
“Every year I get some kind of tendinitis two or three times, but never in the forearm,” Pelfrey said yesterday before the Mets faced the Padres at Citi Field. “I don’t think it’s to the point where I can’t get guys out.”
I think that we all have a tendency to blow these things out of proportion, including me. But tendinitis is very common and is easily treated. It can become a serious problem if it doesn’t heal properly though.
The Mets Report 