I know it’s hard to believe, but the Mets actually looked like a Major League team tonight. And Oliver Perez got a win! I could barely believe my eyes. Perez went 5 innings giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and 7 walks. He surely wasn’t great with way too many walks and of 104 pitches, 52 were balls and 52 were strikes. Not good. But it was enough to get the win tonight.
The Mets on offense had 9 hits and 3 walks. The hits were scattered throughout the lineup which was great to see. Even ice cold David Wright was 2 for 4.
The game also featured a highlight play at first base by Daniel Murphy. A ground ball hit the base and bounced away from him, he picked it up and had a back-hand throw to Bobby Parnell to get the runner. It was an amazing play. You’ll definitely see that one on ESPN tonight.
Francisco Rodriguez had a rocky ninth inning but got the save. He gave up a solo homer to Manny Ramirez, then a walk and hit. But he got out of it with a double play.
This was a rain-delayed wild one. For starters, Tim Redding was terrible giving up 5 runs in 2.1 innings. When that happens you start to think the game is a lost cause but they came right back scoring in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to take an 8-5 lead.
The Mets got big offensive games from Fernando Tatis and Ryan Church getting 3 hits apiece. Daniel Murphy had a big pinch-hit single that scored two runs in the fourth inning that got the scoring started for the Mets.
Everything was looking good with the Mets leading 8-6 going into the bottom of the ninth. But Francisco Rodriguez didn’t have it at all. He gave up a pinch-hit single to Freddy Sanchez and then a homer to Adam LaRoche to tie the game.
Church had a game winning hit for the second straight day. He scored Tatis with the winning run in the tenth inning. Rodriguez pitched another inning in the tenth, which I was surprised to see. But Jerry Manuel didn’t have too many options in the bullpen. He used six relievers in the game because Redding got bombed so early.
The Mets win their second straight heading into Philly. But don’t plan on seeing K-Rod tomorrow. He threw 46 pitches in this one.
A lot happened during the coarse of this game that could get your blood boiling as a Mets fan. The Yankees completed the sweep of the Mets at Citi Field. But honestly, the game was over in the first inning. The Yankees were putting up runs on Livan Hernandez before he even got an out. As usual, Hernandez’ total effort wasn’t bad as he gave up only 3 runs in 7 innings. But those runs were enough to lose the game.
Probably the worst moment of the game was in the ninth inning. Francisco Rodriguez was pitching in a non-save situation for some reason. I still can’t figure out why. He walks the bases after a questionable decision to pitch to Derek Jeter with a base open and Mariano Rivera on deck going for a four out save. After running a 2-1 count on Jeter, Jerry Manuel realizes that he should walk Jeter and go after Rivera for the third out. Of course, Rodriguez walks Rivera to plate a run! It was an embarrassing, ugly moment as a Mets fan.
As usual, there isn’t much Mets offense to talk about. They were 2 for 10 as a team with runners in scoring position. With this lineup they’re running out there now, they need to do a lot better than 2 for 10 with RISP. The only player of note was Gary Sheffield going 2 for 3 and raising his season average to .280.
And by the way, Rivera got the 500th save of his career.
Well, I guess Fernando Nieve is proving us wrong. I thought after his debut first start against the Yankees that he was due for a beating by the Rays. But he was excellent again. Nieve went 6 innings giving up only one run. He’s going to give Tim Redding a run for a spot in the rotation when John Maine and Oliver Perez come back.
Bobby Parnell was roughed up again tonight. He’s still got good velocity but he isn’t fooling anyone. He’s given up 4 runs in 5 innings during the month of June. Compare that to 3 earned runs given up in 11 innings during May. Pitching coach Dan Warthen needs to put in some overtime with Parnell.
Another suprise on offense was Brian Schneider hitting a real bomb for a 3-run homer to right-center field. I never would have expected him to hit one to the deepest part of the park. David Wright had a nice RBI double but he struck out three more times tonight too. That’s 68 K’s for the season now. And Daniel Murphy had another 3 for 4 night to raise his average to .256. So he’s climbing out of the offensive cave that he’s been in. I still don’t think he has enough offense to be a major league first baseman though.
Francisco Rodriguez bounced back nicely from his first (legitimate) blown save last night, when he didn’t appear to have anything. He got a 1-2-3 ninth for the win. It’s good to see a quick recovery from him.
The Mets looked like they had this one wrapped up with a 4-3 lead going into the ninth and Francisco Rodriguez coming into the game. But K-Rod blew his second save and this one was completely on him. He looked really bad loading the bases and walking in a run before giving up another game winning hit to Aubrey Huff.
Livan Hernandez had another very solid start going 7 innings and giving up 2 runs. As usual, he gave up 8 hits and 1 walk but did a good job of limiting the damage.
The Mets offense was paced by Carlos Beltran, Alex Cora, and Luis Castillo with 2 hits apiece. Again, the Mets had no home runs and only one double by Daniel Murphy. Not much power in this lineup.
The Orioles take two of three games from the Mets as they come home to face the Rays.
According to several Mets beat reporters, K-Rod and Brian Bruney nearly came to blows after an argument in left field during batting practice this morning. They were separated by Mike Pelfrey and others before punches were thrown.
The Yankees injured relief pitcher Brian Bruney and Mets closer K-Rod have a minor war of words going this weekend. Surprisingly, it was started by Bruney after Friday night’s game in which K-Rod got a blown save when Luis Castillo dropped a pop-up allowing the winning run to score.
It’s actually kind of shocking that a guy with 13 wins and 13 saves over parts of six seasons in the majors would attack K-Rod in the media. I could see him having a problem with K-Rod and expressing it to friends and teammates privately. But Bruney just doesn’t have the resume to go after K-Rod publicly. Come on! K-Rod has 24 wins and 224 saves including the all-time single season record.
“Unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like that. I have, but in high school,” Bruney told reporters in Trenton, N.J. “It couldn’t happen to a better guy on the mound, either. He’s got a tired act.”
After converting a save, Francisco Rodriguez often pounds his chest and points to the sky while letting out a roar.
“I just don’t like watching the guy pitch,” Bruney said. “I think it’s embarrassing.”
Of course, when K-Rod was told about it he didn’t even know who Bruney was.
“If it comes out from somebody big like Mariano [Rivera], somebody who has been around and who is good at what he does, I would respect that from him,” the Mets’ reliever said. “But some guy that I don’t even know who it is, hasn’t maybe played a full year in the big leagues, always been hurt …”
“He better keep his mouth shut and do his job and not worry about somebody else,” Rodriguez said. “If it came out from somebody big, I might pay attention to it. But somebody like that, it doesn’t bother me.”
On Saturday Bruney seemed to back off his comments somewhat when he realized that doesn’t have pitching chops to comment on K-Rod.
“I’m not going to get into a media war with K-Rod. He’s had a great career. He set the save record and besides, he doesn’t know who I am. So it doesn’t matter what I think,” Bruney said in the Yankees’ clubhouse after Saturday’s loss.
“I stand by what I said. I don’t know that it makes any difference, since the guy’s never heard of me. He may be a great dude, I don’t know. I’ve never met him,” he added. “I was taught to play the game a different way and you won’t see me doing those kinds of things.”
I’m surprised that Bruney hasn’t gone after his teammate Joba Chamberlain for his antics. Chamberlain is alway screaming and fist-pumping on the mound. I’d like to hear what Bruney’s thoughts are on that.
According to several Mets beat reporters, K-Rod and Brian Bruney nearly came to blows after an argument in left field during batting practice this morning. They were separated by Mike Pelfrey and others before punches were thrown.
The Mets Report 