The Mets lost two key things tonight: Pedro Martinez to an injury and the game to Robert Andino and the Florida Marlins.
The Mets took the game to extras, but Andino connected off of Matt Wise for a walkoff home run to left field to end the game by a score of 5-4.
Pedro got rocked early, giving up a two-run home run in the first inning to Dan Uggla, and a solo shot to Luis Gonzalez and a RBI triple to Hanley Ramirez in the second inning. Pedro was in the fourth inning when his knee seemed to buckle during a pitch, and he apparently heard a "pop" in his leg. He quickly grabbed the back of his left leg and began limping around the mound. He was forced to leave the game and has been diagnosed with a strained left hamstring. He's heading back to New York for an MRI tomorrow. Martinez allowed four earned runs on four hits, walking one and striking out one before being forced out.
Well if that's not a sobering second game of the season, I don't know what is. This is the one of the quickest ways to take all the air out of the Mets balloon. Hopefully he can only miss a few starts, and bounce back into the rotation. We'll know more tomorrow. Still, the rotation is pretty nasty with Johan Santana, Oliver Perez, and John Maine. However long he is out, the Mets will miss him, but they are not in terrible condition.
Jorge Sosa came in as the long man, pitching 2 2-3 of an inning, allowing only three hits. Sosa walked two and struck out one. Scott Schoeneweis was used correctly, getting Cody Ross to pop up to left before being lifted for Joe Smith. Smith used his slider and got two ground outs to third base to complete a hitless inning.
Sosa was just excellent in long relief, and may be forced into a starting role very soon. I really like Sosa's versatility and ability. Schoeneweis is a situational pitcher, who can sometimes be stretched out, so this is the correct way to pitch him, I think. Smith seems to have his nasty slider back, and therefore has reclaimed his nickname of "The Man."
Aaron Heilman was stellar, pitching two innings, only allowing one hit and one walk, while striking out two. Wise came in for the 10th inning, quickly striking out Josh Willingham and Jorge Cantu. Andino, who came into the game in the top of the inning, crushed a ball deep to left field to end the game.
Heilman was excellent. He can give you two solid innings almost every night, if need be. Wise started off great but one bad pitch, a hanger, ended the game for the Mets.
The Mets offense started off slow, picked it up in the fourth inning, and then quickly quieted down for the rest of the game.
The Mets got an RBI single from Angel Pagan for their first run of the game, scoring Carlos Delgado, who previously singled. Pagan went 1-3 with a walk, driving in two RBI and scoring once.
Pagan has carried his hot spring over to the season. He already has three RBI on this young season.
Brian Schneider, who picked up his first hit as a Met, went 3-4 with a walk on the day, driving in his only RBI with a single to center field that scored Ryan Church.
The light-hitting catcher has the biggest day for the Mets. That's probably not a great sign for the offense.
The Mets also got hits from Luis Castillo, David Wright and Carlos Delgado. Carlos Beltran walked twice and swiped a bag in the ninth inning. Beltran also had a very heads up play in the outfield in the ninth inning, throwing out Uggla at second as he tried to stretch a single to a double.
Beltran is a great player, and I think he is very underrated. He has his share of injuries, but when he is on, he is pretty darn good.
Game Ball: Pagan, keep it up! Let's hope Pedro isn't in bad shape and can bounce back quickly.
