Best game of the season?
Pitching Performance
Pedro was absolutely on at times, and off at others. Pedro Martinez put in his possible final bid in a pretty good start for the Mets against the Cubs. He allowed five runs on seven hits. He allowed walked four, while striking out a season high nine.
Pedro let up a solo home run to Micah Hoffpauir, the first of his career in the first inning. He later allowed an RBI single in the same inning. In the third, Hoffpauir got to Pedro again, this time for an RBI double to deep center field.
Well done, Pedro. I don't think you can ask for much more than that from him.
Two of the runs were charged to Pedro, when Ricardo Rincon came in and allowed a three run home run on his first pitch to Hoffpauir.
It looked like Hoffpauir was going to be the downfall to the Mets this game, but things would not all go his way. Thanks a lot, Ricardo!
Brian Stokes entered after Rincon got one out, and recorded two outs, while walking one and striking out another. Scott Schoeneweis worked the eight inning, walked one and allowed a hit, but was able to work out of a tiny jam. He struck out one in the inning.
Not bad from these guys. Not bad at all.
Pedro Feliciano faced one batter, allowing one hit. Joe Smith entered the game, and struck out one, intentionally walked another, and then got two ground ball outs to escape the inning.
Whewwwwwww.
Offensive Output
The Mets realized there is such a thing as a "sacrifice fly." David Wright drove in Jose Reyes in the bottom of the first with a fly ball to center field.
I was shocked they actually remembered you can score runs this way.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ryan Church came to the plate with Wright on second and Carlos Beltran on first. Church ripped a double down the first base line, driving in both runners and tying the game at three.
I must say, my roommate Jamie called it.
In the seventh inning, Robinson Cancel doubled, moved to third on a ground ball, and scored on a Reyes RBI ground out.
Too little, too late? Not this time.
In the bottom of the eighth, Beltran singled with two outs. Church followed that up with a single of his own. Ramon Martinez then singled in Beltran to draw within one. Cancel then singled to right, and Church completely avoiced the tag, that would have had him beat by 15 feet. He ran around Koyie Hill, turned around, and lept towards home, making it in just in time.
WOW. Just, WOW.
Reyes singled to lead off the inning. Murphy and Wright were struck out consecutively for the first two outs of the inning. The Cubs chose to intentionally walk Delgado to get to Beltran. Beltran responded by ripping a line drive off the tip of Hoffpauir's glove, which trickled into right field, allowing Reyes to score from second base.
Wow, again. Great game. Maybe the best of the year. Amazing.
The Rest of the Story
Hat tip to Micah Hoffpauir. What a game from this guy. 5-5, 2 R, 5 RBI. If he was an inch taller, he might have been able to snag that. Can't have it all.
Church: 3-3, 2 RBI.
Game Ball: Ryan Church, Carlos Beltran.
