Another one slips through their fingers.
Pitching Performance
The Mets had to use seven pitchers in a futile effort against the Astros in the third game of a four game series.
Oliver Perez was one of only two pitchers to throw at least one inning, as he started and went six 1-3 innings. Perez let in three runs while on the mound, and another was charged to him after he left the game. He only let up four hits, but one of them was a two-run home run from Hunter Pence in the Astros three run fourth inning. Perez only walked one batter, and struck out eight Houstonites.
I thought Perez could pitch more, even with his 111 pitch count. Handing over the game, with the lead or not, is always dangerous. They only had a one run lead when Perez left, but by the time the seventh was done, it was all tied up.
Aaron Heilman needed only four pitches to let in the tying run in his third of an inning of work. Scott Schoeneweis, Joe Smith, and Luis Ayala put together two 1-3 innings of work. Ayala was the only reliever to stay in the game for a full inning.
Strong stuff by the latter three. Too bad it all went for naught.
Pedro Feliciano started the work in the 10th frame, and quickly gave up a solo home run to light hitting Brad Ausmus. Two outs later, he served up another dinger to another light hitter, Darin Erstad. Duaner Sanchez made the final out, retiring Miguel Tejada on a ground ball.
Nice job, Feliciano. I have no idea why he was in there, throwing to righties. They kill him to the tune of four home runs in 22 2-3 innings. That's opposed to only one home run by lefties in 23 2-3 innings.
Offensive Output
Another hot start quickly eroded into a quiet ending as the last 15 Mets were retired in order.
The Mets got on the board in the first, as usual. Carlos Beltran hit a two-run home run to left field off of Randy Wolf, plating David Wright.
The team then had the bases loaded in the bottom of the third with only one out, but were only able to push one run across, thanks to a bases loaded walk by Fernando Tatis.
Big wasted opportunity.
The Mets got another run from Beltran, as he hit his second home run of the day, of the solo variety, to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning.
And yet again, the elusive three home run game at Shea by a Met evades the team.
The Mets seem to have issues with beating the Astros this season. Glad they only have one more game against them and then it's "see ya next season!"
The Rest of the Story
I've got nothing.
Game Ball: Carlos Beltran
