Game #33: Mets 4, Dodgers 2

The Mets' Jason Pridie beat a throw to Juan Uribe and took third base on a sacrifice fly in the second inning. (NYTimes.com)

An emergency starter, the end of a long hitting streak, and a game-winning 400-foot single. All in a day's work for the New York Mets.

Justin Turner brought home the go-ahead runs in the 8th and the Mets stopped Andre Ethier's hitting streak at 30 on the way to a 4-2 victory over the Dodgers.

The Good Stuff:

• This is why you keep one extra starter and use him in relief: for situations like this. Dillon Gee was brought in as the emergency starter fifteen minutes before game time after Chris Young couldn't get loose. The young gun delivered a solid start, scattering 2 runs and 7 hits across 5 1/3 innings, walking 3 and striking out 3. He got into a couple jams early, loading the bases the first two innings, but he buckled down and got out out of it both times, getting Andre Ethier in the second.
• If Jason Pridie made his case to stay on the 25-man roster yesterday, today he may have made his case for a permanent spot in center field. The 27-year-old went 3-3 with a double and scored 2 runs, bringing his average up to that magical threshold of .300. I assume when Angel Pagan comes back from the DL he'll get his spot in CF back initially, but if he can't do better than the .159 he was batting before he went down, I'd like to hope Pridie will get the spot back. So far, he's earned it.
• The offense got 9 hits again, but the biggest inning of the game only needed one. In the bottom of the 8th, with the bases loaded from 2 walks and a throwing error, pinch-hitter Justin Turner launched a 400-foot single that bounced off center fielder Matt Kemp's glove and scored the 2 go-ahead runs. Clutch, Mr. Turner. Clutch.
• The other RBIs came from Josh Thole (sac fly in the 2nd) and Jose Reyes (single the same inning).
• The bullpen came through again for 3 2/3 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief. But the biggest news of the day? Fransisco Rodriguez goes 1-2-3 in the ninth, finally getting that illusive clean 9th for his 3rd save in 3 days.

The Bad Stuff:

• There was Bad Stuff? Miscues were hard to find in this game. But if I must: Jose Reyes being picked off first in the 2nd and Daniel Murphy's fielding error in the 7th, which didn't lead to any runs. There. Happy now?

Final Analysis:
Three in a row, and a series win. The end of Ethier's hit streak will make headlines in the morning (as long as it was, still barely halfway to Joe DiMaggio's 56 in '41 - now there's a record that will never be broken), but since starting 5-13, the Mets have quietly gone on a 10-5 hot streak. The offense is clicking and the bullpen has stopped playing Hot Potato. The Amazin's are still in last place and won't get much recognition (aside from trade rumors), but maybe that's what they need. With the spotlight off them, the Mets can relax and continue to do their thing. Which is just fine with me.

MM