Wednesday’s 9-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals was one of the more impressive games I’ve seen the Mets play this season. But can they consider it a victory after possibly losing two more players to the disabled list?
We know Jon Niese will miss the rest of the season after completely tearing his hamstring tendon off the bone and already had the subsequent surgery. Gary Sheffield is in murkier waters, leaving the game with cramps in the sixth inning.
Sheffield had recently come off the DL, so where he ends up in the next few days is one big question mark.
But back to the game.
The Mets pounded out 15 hits and plated nine runs. David Wright connected for a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
They got a two-run triple from Nelson Figueroa, who entered the game in relief of Niese and pitched 4 1-3 beautiful innings.
Angel Pagan had the best day of all, going 3-4 with 4 RBI. In the 6th, he drove a ball into the gap between center and right field, tripling in Jeremy Reed. Two innings later, Pagan drove a ball to straightaway center, a 425-foot two run home run. That homer chased in Bobby Parnell, who is 1-1 in his career with a run scored.
Parnell’s efforts on the mound should not be overlooked, either. Three solid innings in relief, which he needed only 30 pitches, striking out three. I suggested it and Jerry Manuel may be in favor of it, but it looks like Parnell may get a chance to start this season.
So a solid all-around victory is marred by the definite loss of a young, up-and-coming pitcher and a possible loss of the team’s biggest slugger. Is that a win?