The Mets were outhit today, but that didn't seem to bother them. After the bullpen blew the win for Johan Santana, the Mets rallied back in the ninth inning to take the rubber game and the series over the Diamondbacks by a score of 5-2.
Santana, like all Mets pitchers this weekend, struggled with pitch counts and getting through innings quickly. Santana pitched six innings, allowing one run on six hits and four walks, while striking out eight. He did not have one inning where he set down the side in order.
A lot of pitches, but only one run. Santana isn't even dealing his best stuff yet. Just wait...it's going to be amazing. Santana needed to get through some innings a lot quicker, but I'm not worried and you shouldn't be either.
The Mets got on the board in the third inning after Luis Castillo grounded into a fielders choice and was sacrificed over to second by Santana. Jose Reyes followed that up with a two out single to right, driving in Castillo.
In the fourth inning, David Wright lead off with a solo home run to deep left off of Arizona starter Dan Haren to put the Mets up by a pair.
Beautiful. Wright's swing was just so sweet on this pitch. Let's get these young guys into some hot streaks.
In the fourth, with Justin Upton on second base, Chris Snyder hit one of the strangest balls I've ever seen. The ball went deep to left field, bounced off the top of the wall, and ricocheted along the left field wall, running away from Moises Alou. Snyder slid into third with a triple as Upton scored easily.
Santana is lucky it didn't go an inch further, or it would have been a tied game. Again, I've never seen a ball bounce like that. Strange angles on the wall.
Santana got into trouble as he had the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, but got Chris Young to fly out to right to end the inning.
Good stuff.
Joe Smith came in for the Mets in the seventh inning. After striking out Augie Ojeda and Eric Byrnes to start the inning, Smith allowed a single to Conor Jackson before walking Upton. Mark Reynolds then hit a broken bat flare into left field, allowing Jackson to score and tie up the game. Smith rebounded by striking out Snyder.
Lucky hit here. Broken bat single just dropped in. If the bat doesn't break, it's an out. Poor Santana. Another win taken away by the bullpen.
For the eighth, Pedro Feliciano came in to pitch. Chris Burke dropped down a bunt to start the inning. Feliciano came off the mound to field the ball, but his throw to first went wild and into foul territory down the right field line. Burke dug it out for second, and as Ryan Church fielded the ball, Burke turned to go to third. Church then threw a one hopper to Wright at third, who applied the tag for the first out.
Amazing play. Went from disaster to spectacular in five seconds. Church has an absolute cannon for an arm in right. This was his fourth outfield assist of the year.
Feliciano then allowed an infield hit to pinch hitter Micah Owings before being removed in favor of Jorge Sosa. Sosa retired the next two batters and handed it off to the Mets bats in the ninth.
Beltran led off the ninth inning with a single off of Chad Qualls. Alou then picked up his first hit of the season, topping a ball, and thankfully putting some top spin on it, allowing it to scoot by Ojeda at short. Alou was removed for Endy Chavez, who pinch ran. Carlos Delgado, swinging first pitch, grounded a ball to first. Jackson fielded it, spun, and airmailed the throw to second base into left field. Beltran came around to score and put the Mets ahead by one.
Address all thank you cards and fruit baskets to Conor Jackson at 401 E. Jefferson Street in Phoenix, Arizona 85004.
After Brian Schneider sacrificed the runners over, Arizona made the very strange decision of intentionally walking Castillo to try and set up the double play. Pinch hitter Marlon Anderson made the Diamondbacks pay, singling the first pitch he saw to right field, driving home Chavez. Reyes followed it up, swinging on the first pitch, and hitting a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Delgado to tag up and score.
I love this. Way to get on a pitcher with a 0.00 ERA and knock him around for a few runs late in the game. This team showed fight, which has been lacking lately.
Billy Wagner entered for the ninth inning to close it out and earn the save, striking out Upton to end the game and retire the side in order.
Good morning, good afternoon, and goodnight. Wags for the save!
Game ball: Reyes
