The seven runs and 14 hits picked up by the New York Mets was no indication of how they really played today, failing to get the big hit in the many situations they created. They dropped the game, and the series, to the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of 9-7.
Oliver Perez made the start for the Mets, and simply did not have his best stuff, or his good stuff, or even his OK stuff. Perez allowed six earned runs and eight hits in only 4 1-3 of an inning. Perez walked three and struck out six. Perez allowed a two-run home run to
Gabe Kapler in the first after hitting
Rickie Weeks to lead off the game, his third hit batsmen of the season. Perez was also handed a four run lead heading into the fourth inning and promptly handed it back to the Brew-crew.
Perez hadn't allowed an extra base hit or a run in 11 2-3 of an inning coming into the game, and by the time the third batter was up, both of those streaks were out the door. Just not a good day from him. Very frustrating.Jorge Sosa relieved Perez in the fifth with two runners on, and got
Joe Dillion and
Jason Kendall to fly out to end the threat. Sosa started the sixth inning allowing a home run to
Rickie Weeks to lead off. After Kapler walked, moved to second on one wild pitch, then third on another wild pitch, Sosa got two outs before allowing a single to
Corey Hart, which plated Kapler. Kapler went 3-4, scoring three runs and driving in another three.
Sosa can be so good one day and so off on the next. I can't get a read on him at all. Move over Pat Burrell and Chipper Jones, Kapler is the newest Mets killer.Scott Schoeneweis started the seventh, got one out, and left the game.
Joe Smith came in, and induced a ground ball for the first out. He got Weeks to ground a ball to
David Wright who made the throw to first which
Carlos Delgado could not handle, which would have ended the inning. Weeks later came around to score on a Kapler double for an unearned run.
Pedro Feliciano started the eighth, striking out
Prince Fielder, before being removed in favor of
Aaron Heilman. Heilman pitched 1 2-3 of an inning, not allowing a hit and striking out one.
Well, at least these four pitched all right. For the second straight day, errors came back to hurt the Mets. Still, encouraging to see a good outing from Heilman even if they were behind and couldn't give up the lead no matter how hard he tried.The Mets offense had 14 hits today, but grounded into double plays in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings.
The Mets got on the board early, with
David Wright hitting a solo home run over the right field wall for his
100th of his career. Wright is currently eighth on the Mets all-time home run list.
Well that was quick. Keep on truckin' David.In the second inning, Delgado walked to lead off.
Ryan Church, was up next and doubled to right field.
Damion Easley added an RBI ground out, driving in Delgado, and
Brian Schneider singled to center field which scored Church. The Mets continued their scoring barrage early, scoring three in the third inning.
Luis Castillo led off the inning with a double to shallow left field, just over the head of
Bill Hall. After moving to third on a Wright ground out, Castillo scored when
Carlos Beltran singled to center. After an intentional walk to Church and an infield single by Easley, the bases were loaded for Schneider. He singled to center, driving in Church and Beltran.
The Mets weren't and haven't been getting the big hits, but the RBI singles were plentiful. Those can only take you so far.They were held off the board until the seventh, when they had two on for Easley, who singled to center, scoring Delgado. Schneider then grounded into one of their many double plays. They threatened in the eighth inning against ex-Met
Guillermo Mota, who entered to a chorus of boos, as they loaded the bases for Delgado, who popped out to right.
Again, they lacked the big hit which would have scored runs. This has been a habit this season and better not stick around much longer.Numbers -- Pagan: 2-4, 1 BB...Castillo: 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run...Wright: 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI...Delgado: 2 BB, 2 runs...Church: 2-3, 2 runs...Easley: 2-5, 2 RBI...Schneider: 3-5, 3 RBI...
Game Ball: Schneider.
Beardless watch: 3-2.
So we've established Pagan is good. Maybe he's just on a hot streak, maybe he's matured as a hitter, only time will tell. But if Alou comes back and Pagan is still hot, who do the Mets play?