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| Mets' Ruben Tejada dives for a ball but can't reach it in a 3-2 loss to the Pirates. (NYDailyNews.com) |
The Mets got 10 hits but could only plate 2 runs against James McDonald and the Pirate pitchers in a 3-2 loss.
The Bad Stuff:
- It was New York's third straight game with double digit hits, but an old nemesis emerged once again: RISP. The recently-hot Mets bats went cold with runners on second or third, going just 2-11.
- The Mets' biggest chance to score came in the 4th, when New York loaded the bases with one out. Up came R.A. Dickey, still dealing with foot issues. Anything hit on the ground would be a sure double play. So what happened? He hit it on the ground. 6-4-3. Threat over.
- Twice more the orange and blue had runners on second and third with two outs. The first time, in the 5th, Jason Bay made his return trip to PNC Park memorable in a bad way by helping out his old team, taking a 2-2 curveball for strike three. Bay finished the day 1-4.
- The second time came in the 8th. With Angel Pagan on first and two out, Lucas Duda slashed a double to the 320-foot wall in right field. Speedy Pagan was held at third instead of attempting to score the tying run. Replay showed he would have been a dead duck with a good throw, but after what happened next, perhaps Pagan should have risked it. Ronny Paulino made his return trip to PNC Park memorable in the same fashion as Bay, taking a 1-2 curveball for strike three. Threat over.
- Joel Hanrahan slammed the door shut in the 9th, retiring the final three Mets in order to end the game.
- R.A. Dickey picks up the tough loss, pitching an 8-inning complete game and allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, walking 2 and striking out 4. He lost the game on a 2-run double in the 3rd by Andrew McCutchen, which could have as easily been called a 2-base error (Daniel Murphy deflected the ball into the outfield on a hard groundball).
- With 10 hits on the board, many Mets hitters land in Good Stuff today. Jose Reyes celebrated his 28th birthday going 2-5 with a run. Ruben Tejada and Carlos Beltran both went 2-4 with Tejada scoring one and Beltran driving one in. Beltran also stole his first base of the year, taking third on a double steal in the 5th.
If the Mets had hit in the clutch the way they did on Thursday and Friday, they would have won the game. Unfortunately, tonight they ran out of gas. Every team has off days, and today was an off day. As long as old banes don't become prominent again, it should be fine.
Most fans would agree that the Mets should take 3 of 4 from Pittsburgh. Today's just the one that we didn't win. As long as we win tomorrow and Monday, we'll be right on schedule, and right back at .500 again.
MM
I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteDickey has played above and beyond with NEVER a complaint about a consistently PAINFUL foot ( most fans seem to forget that when the b&m about why he was told to swing). He's an automatic out unless the fans want him to run it out and be out for the rest of the season.
Murph's mistake - it happens to the best of them and he too should be given some slack. We're talking about two of the best players on the team in terms of attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team. That cannot be said for many players on other teams.
I hope we go out and make this team cry 'uncle' for the next two games!
We sure as heck did today. Starters have been lights-out lately. Gee's been an ace, Cappy's been outstanding, Dickey pitches better when he's hurt. We might not even need Johan when he comes back!
ReplyDelete