Game #63: Mets 8, Pirates 1

Angel Pagan scoring to start a five-run fourth inning for the Mets. (NYTimes.com)

The train took off in Milwaukee and it's still rollin' through Pittsburgh.

The Amazin' offense racked up 13 hits and Dillon Gee continued his record-setting rookie campaign, giving the Mets the win in an 8-1 laugher over the Pirates.

The Good Stuff:

• Dillon Gee continued his stellar rookie season, turning in an 8 inning, 1 run, 8 hit performance. He struck out 5, but most impressive, walked none on 104 pitches. While he's already set a Mets record, with this win, Gee becomes the first pitcher to win his first 7 decisions in his rookie year since the Angels' Jared Weaver in 2006. And as the majors' only remaining undefeated starter, he could very well earn a spot in Phoenix on the All-Star team.
• We should face hot starters more often. A day after taking down Yovani Gallardo in 4+, the Mets did it again, this time against Pirates' emerging ace Charlie Morton, knocking him for 7 runs (6 earned) on 9 hits in 4+ innings. In all, the Mets managed 13 hits against the Pirate staff. These guys stand out the most:
• Jose Reyes rebounded from an 0-5 night in Milwaukee with a 3 hit night, including his 2nd home run of the year, a line drive to right in the 6th. His batting average now stands at an impressive .340.
• Left fielder Lucas Duda, called up today, started a 5-run 4th with an RBI single, then ended up on third after the throw and an error. He also picked up another RBI on a sac fly in the 5th.
• Angel Pagan went 2-5 with a double and triple, scoring twice and driving home the game's first run on a groundout.
• Justin Turner came through in the clutch once again, lining a bases-loaded single off Morton's leg and past the shortstop, scoring two in the 4th.
• Josh Thole also had a 3 hit night, going 3-5 with an RBI.
• Daniel Murphy hit his first triple since September 2009.
• Tim Byrdak got through the 9th inning quasi-cleanly, giving up a hit but facing only three batters, getting the final Pirate to ground into the 4-6-3 double play.

The Bad Stuff:

• As much as he needs the couple days off, you have to feel bad for Jason Bay, riding the bench in his first return trip to PNC Park. The Pirates traded him to Boston in 2008 and the Red Sox never went to Pittsburgh during (grr) Interleague Play, and last year the Mets went into Pitt after Bay's LA concussion. I'm all for giving him rest, but maybe the thing he needs is to hit in a familiar place, at the ballpark he called home for the first few years of his career. He needs the break, but he should play at least a couple during this leg of the trip.

Final Analysis:
Rollin', rollin', rollin'. That's 24 hits in the past 2 days, and the Mets have now won 5 of their last 6, 6 of 8 since Terry Collins' choice words. Most importantly, New York is now just one game under .500. If we don't leave Pittsburgh with a .500 mark or better, it will be a disappointment. It's good either way: disappointment if we don't get it, excitement if we do. It means we're starting to expect to win. Which is always good.

MM