Game #159: Braves 6, Mets 2

If there was any doubt before, it's mathematically official: the New York Mets regressed in 2012.

Whereas the Braves figured out Jenrry Mejia early, the Mets couldn't solve Kris Medlen, falling to the Braves 6-2 and guaranteeing a worse record than they had in 2011.

The Bad Stuff:

• Jenrry Mejia served up a 3-run homer to David Ross in the 2nd inning and let one more through before the end of the 5th inning. His final line in those 5 frames: 4 runs on 6 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts. His ERA now stands at 5.63.
• Collin McHugh was just as mediocre, allowing 2 runs in the 6th inning to put his ERA at 7.29.
• New York got just one earned run off Atlanta in 9 innings, hit 1-7 with RISP, and stranded 6 men on base.

The Good Stuff:

• Justin Hampson tossed a scoreless 7th inning to lower his ERA to 1.86.
• Daniel Murphy and Ike Davis each had a double; Murphy's was his 40th of the season and Davis scored on Andres Torres's RBI single in the 9th.

Final Analysis:
You never would have thought it before mid-July, when the team was 46-40 and still in the playoff hunt. But now it's staring right back at us: with their 86th loss, the Mets will not finish as "well" as they did last season when they went 77-85. Sure, there have been some great moments this year, but it's disappointing to see the finish line so close and nothing to show for it at the end. Guess you've got to follow the Brooklyn model: wait till next year.

But before we can get to next year, there's still the matter of games 160-162 to play, and New York will finish up by Wednesday after helping the Miami Marlins close down their new ballpark. Can't think of any reason to watch? How about this: it's the last we'll see of the orange and blue for six months. That's why I'll be tuning in.

MM

Game #158: Braves 2, Mets 0

After New York spoiled Larry's special night, was it any surprise Atlanta would take this one?

Chris Young was good but Mike Minor and the Braves were better, shutting out the Mets to the tune of 2-0.

The Bad Stuff:

• The Mets managed only 5 hits, didn't walk once, and went 0-5 with the few runners they had in scoring position. Any questions?

The Good Stuff:

•  Chris Young was solid in his final start of the season, picking up a tough loss but a quality start with 6 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, a walk, and 6 strikeouts.

Final Analysis:
Look, if you had to choose between winning on Chipper Jones Night and on any old Saturday night, you'd choose the former. I'm as cool as I'll ever be with a loss.

The only thing this does is guarantee the Mets can't finish better than they did last season. All they have to do is win the last four games and we'll be 77-85 again. Sure, it's not the best of records, but at least we'll know we haven't lost any ground.

MM

Game #157: Mets 3, Braves 1

(NYTimes.com)

On a night when the Atlanta Braves honored Larry the Met Killer, it was Lucas Duda doing the deeds Chipper Jones has done so many times to New York over the years.

Duda's 3-run homer in the 7th helped make Jon Niese's last start of the season stand up as the Mets knocked off the playoff-bound Braves, 3-1.

The Good Stuff:

• Down 1-0 in the 7th, the Mets offense had been silenced all night by Tim Hudson. But Hudson's Nyquil was about to run out: Daniel Murphy led off with his 39th double. David Wright lined out, and Ike Davis was walked intentionally to get to Scott Hairston, who struck out. That brought up Lucas Duda, who battled off two foul balls after going down in the count early. He fouled the 8th pitch off after getting a couple more balls, and on a 3-2 sinker, the 9th pitch of the at-bat, Bid Dude launched a no-doubter to right center. 3-1 Good Guys.
• Those runs were all Jon Niese needed in his Solid Seven outing. He finished allowing just a solo home run and 3 other hits, with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.
• His final stats of 2012: 30 starts, 190.1 innings pitched, 13-9 record, 3.40 ERA, 155 strikeouts, 1.17 WHIP. His 22 home runs against is a concern, but overall a very nice season by a man who gives the Mets a strong #3 starter, something every team needs.
• Manny Acosta, Justin Hampson, and Bobby Parnell combined for 2 hitless innings after Niese made his exit, with Parnell picking up his 6th save and 2nd in as many nights.

The Bad Stuff:

• New York had the chance to add more runs in the 8th, loading the bases with one out, but David Wright grounded into a 5/5-3 double play to end the threat. He finished 0-4 on the day, dropping his average to .306.

Final Analysis:
And the wins just keep on coming! Niese capped a very encouraging season, Duda had one of the best battles at the plate he's had in a while, and the Mets spoiled a special night for a man who has spoiled many a night in Flushing through the years.

The Mets are still on track to do technically better than last season: at 73-84, they can win the rest of their games and finish with one more win than they had last season. Small victories, but victories nonetheless.

MM

Game #156: Mets 6, Pirates 5

(NYDailyNews.com)

When Johan Santana tossed his no-hitter in June, Howie Rose told us to "Put it in the books, the HISTORY books!" Chalk up September 27, 2012 in those books as well.

Behind a clutch home run from David Wright, R.A. Dickey dazzled fans in New York's final home game of the season to bring home his 20th win, with the Mets triumphing over the Pirates, 6-5.

The Good Stuff:

• While his ERA went up a couple points, all attention was on that statistic so many sabermetricians shun nowadays: Ws. R.A. Dickey became the 6th Met to earn 20 of those in a single season, turning yet another quality start of 7.2 innings, 8 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, and a strikeout total turned the DICKEY sign at Citi Field into DICKKKKKKKKKKKKKEY (that's 13 Ks, for your convenience). And all that with a season-high 128 pitches.
• All would have been meaningless had the Mets not turned on their offensive jets once again.
• Ike Davis put a run on the board with a solo homer in the 2nd (Mike Baxter would've had one himself but fell victim to the catch of the year by Travis Snider).
• New York got 3 hits in the 4th and scored on Scott Hairston's RBI single.
• Andres Torres led off the 5th with a walk, then after Dickey failed to advance him, Ruben Tejada singled. Daniel Murphy's base hit brought in Torres. Then David Wright, now the Mets' all-time hits leader, added one more to the pile with a 3-run blast to right center not even Snider could get to. 6-3 Mets, and the way things have gone for Dickey this year, it was more than enough.

The Bad Stuff:

• It was not more than enough, however, for Jon Rauch and the New York bullpen. Rauch needed one pitch to get the last out of the 8th, but walked a guy and served up a 2-run homer to Alex Presley in the top of the 9th. But Bobby Parnell saved the day by getting Josh Harrison to ground out to Ruben Tejada (who made a fantastic play) and Jose Tabata to fly out to a sprinting Mike Baxter to send this final Citi Field crowd of the season (31,506 strong, including many of my colleagues at Rising Apple) home very, very happy.

Final Analysis:
Howie Rose ended the day by saying something to the tune of "it's not often that you leave the park on the final day of a season you failed to contend and be completely happy." But Mets fans can rejoice on this day because Robert Allen Dickey reached the milestone he so deserved. For a great pitcher and an even better man, this was a crowning achievement on a year which has brought him so much. And that, I would say, is worth the price of admission. Congratulations, R.A. Dickey! Now let's get him that Cy Young Award.

MM

(MetsBlog.com)

Game #155: Mets 6, Pirates 0

(MetsBlog.com)

The hit king is dead, long live the king!

David Wright broke Ed Kranepool's franchise hits record with a single in the 3rd inning, and Ruben Tejada added 4 hits of his own to help out Jeremy Hefner, who stifled the Pirates for 7 innings en route to a 6-0 Mets win.

The Good Stuff:

• In the 3rd inning, with one run in already after Daniel Murphy singled home Ruben Tejada, David Wright chopped a nubber off his bat that rolled just weakly enough down the third base line that he beat out Pedro Alvarez's throw to the bag. After Alvarez's throw went wild, Murphy scored from first, and Wright went to second, the 22,890 in attendance stood up and applauded: with that infield single, David Wright had himself career hit #1,419, exactly one more than the career total of Mr. Met, Ed Kranepool.
• But the fireworks weren't over in this inning: Wright scored on Scott Hairston's double and Kelly Shoppach drove Hairston in to give the suddenly offensive-minded Mets 4 runs in the inning.
• On a night when his left-side infield counterpart made New York history, Ruben Tejada lept closer to getting back to a .300 batting average, going 4-5 with 2 RBIs. His line now stands at .296.
• Daniel Murphy also boosted his BA with a 2-4, RBI night.
• The team hit 6-9 with RISP and left only 7 men on.
• All this was more than enough for Jeremy Hefner, who turned in his finest start of the season: 7 scoreless, 3-hit innings, including just 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.
• Jeurys Familia tossed 2 hitless innings to close out Pittsburgh, a team even weaker this second half than the Mets.

The Bad Stuff:

• We're winning again...was it too much to ask for these kinds of games in July and August?

Final Analysis:
This was just about all you could ask for in a record-setting night: a great performance all-around and a dominant win. It's so un-Mets like, but it feels so good. Congratulations, David! Now let's have many more over the next decade.

But WAIT, there's more! The fireworks continue into tomorrow afternoon: not only is it the Mets' home finale in 2012, not only is it R.A. Dickey's first of two attempts at 20 wins, but it's the day Keith Hernandez dishes out two bits for a shave and a haircut (haircut optional). Even for teams with records of 71-84 and 76-79, this is must-see TV!

MM

(NYDailyNews.com)

Game #154: Pirates 10, Mets 6

Collin McHugh? Try Collin McEwww.

McHugh was rocked in presumably his final start of the season and the Pirates overshadowed David Wright tying Ed Kranepool's franchise hits record by delivering the Mets a 10-6 loss.

The Bad Stuff:

• Collin McHugh didn't help his cause against folks who thought he'd be a one-hit wonder after his debut against the Rockies last month: he got just 4 outs while allowing 7 earned runs on 5 hits and 3 walks.
• Elvin Ramirez let another run in in the 5th and Jon Rauch served up a 2-run homer in the 9th that iced it for Pittsburgh.

The Good Stuff:

• After falling behind 4-0 in the top of the 1st, Justin Turner and David Wright went back-to-back in the next half inning to make it 4-3.
• In the 7th, Wright laced a 2-run single to right field to give him 1,418 hits in his career, tying him with Ed Kranepool, the true Mr. Met, atop the Mets' all-time hit list. The 3 RBIs on the night gave him 88, which tie him with Ike Davis for the team lead this year.
• Ruben Tejada went 2-4 and scored twice.

Final Analysis:
On Sunday David Wright talked about how his chase of this latest Kranepool record has been "bittersweet."  I think we can understand him: sure, it's great to have this record, but it's bittersweet because the team is struggling, it's bittersweet because New York lost tonight, and, as I mentioned on Rising Apple yesterday, bittersweet because of a potential future in which Wright isn't a Met. But David's reached the summit now and should surpass Mr. Kranepool either tomorrow or Thursday, the team's home finale. Right now wouldn't it be nice just to put aside all the bitter stuff and celebrate the sweetness of #5 coming closer to bearing the all-time torch for this ballclub?

MM

Game #153: Mets 6, Pirates 2

(NYDailyNews.com)

To the moon, Issac. To the moon.

Ike Davis's 29th and 30th home runs helped back Jenrry Mejia's 5 shutout innings as the Mets knocked off the Pirates 6-2 for their fourth straight win.

The Good Stuff:

• With no score in the bottom of the 4th, David Wright led off with a walk. After working the count to 3-1, Ike Davis got a fastball from Kyle McPherson, which he deposited just over the wall in left center.
• In the 5th, the Mets got two on with two out for Wright, who channeled his first-half self and singled home Josh Thole. Up came Davis looking to add some more. Oh, did he ever: Ike blasted a moon shot to right center to ice the game at 6-0. The double-dip gave Davis 30 home runs on the season and 88 RBIs, 3 ahead of Wright for the team lead.
• All this was enough for Jenrry Mejia, who was uneconomical but effective in 5 innings of 4-hit, shutout ball, including 2 walks and 4 strikeouts, for his first big league win.

The Bad Stuff:

• Jeurys Familia and Ramon Ramirez let in a run each in the 8th and 9th but the rest of the bullpen picked up the pace.

Final Analysis:
Can you imagine what kind of numbers Ike Davis would have if he didn't spend the first two and a half months on the interstate? Since June 9th he is hitting .267 with 24 home runs and 67 RBIs. I don't know what happened that night at Yankee Stadium, but whatever it was snapped Ike back into the kind of player Mets fans dreamed he would be. He goes on a run at the end of the season and he's got an outside shot at 100 RBIs. And New York wants to...trade this man? GOB, I think you share my feelings. Ike Davis is the future for the Mets at first base. Perhaps a future perennial All-Star. And his rejuvenation over this last part of the season is next to R.A. Dickey's Cy Young chase something to celebrate for Amazin' fans.

MM

Game #152: Mets 3, Marlins 2

(NYDailyNews.com)

If Mr. T was a Mets fan, he'd be saying "I pity the fool who disrespects Ruben Tejada."

The Marlins challenged Tejada over Fred Lewis and Ruben made them pay with a walk-off bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 9th to give the Mets the win and the sweep, 3-2.

The Good Stuff:

• With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 9th, Miami sent out Ryan Webb to get it to extras. It didn't work out so well for him, but for New York, it was deja-vu all over again.
• Scott Hairston led off with a single up the middle then after Lucas Duda's strikeout went to second base on a wild pitch. Andres Torres walked and was replaced by Jordany Valdespin at first after a fielder's choice that sent Hairston to third. Up came the light-hitting Fred Lewis, and he of all people scared Ozzie Guillen and the Fish into walking the bases loaded. Who was up next? Not another no-name, but Mr. Bases Loaded: Ruben Tejada. After taking a strike, Tejada calmly laced the game-winner into the gap in left center. His teammates greeted him with a mob in short center, and (we're guessing) Justin Turner was waiting with a pie in the face.
• David Wright got the Mets on the board in the 1st inning with his 19th home run of the season. His 83rd and 84th RBIs on the year gave him the team lead once again.
• Chris Young allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits in 6 innings, walking 2 and striking out 5 to earn the quality start.
• Ramon Ramirez, Manny Acosta, and Bobby Parnell combined for 3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen with Parnell picking up the W.

The Bad Stuff:

• New York hit just 2-10 with RISP and left 8 men on base.

Final Analysis:
Was this September 23 or April 26? Was that Kirk Nieuwenhuis at the plate or Ruben Tejada?  In a game that harkened back to a brighter time in the 2012 Met timeline, the team once again got the best of Miami, prevailing three times in a row for a very satisfying sweep. Still think this team has given up?

The Mets give a final encore performance in 2012 over the next four games against the free-falling Pittsburgh Pirates, followed by a trip down south to close out into the winter. We certainly won't miss most of this second half over the next six months, but we'll sure as hell miss moments like today's.

MM

Game #151: Mets 4, Marlins 3

(NYDailyNews.com)

Worst Jaws movie ever, but with a happy ending for New Yorkers.

Jason Bay and Scott Hairston backed R.A. Dickey's 19th W and Jon Rauch fought for every out in the 9th as the Mets beat the Marlins 4-3.

The Good Stuff:

• CY-watch continues for R.A. Dickey, who allowed 2 runs on 6 hits in 8+ innings, walking 2 and striking out 4. He had a shutout going through 8 innings, took the NL lead in Ks, dropped his ERA to a league-leading 2.66, and secured his 19th W of the season, making him the first Mets since 1990 to win as many (Frank Viola won 20 that year and Doc Gooden added 19).
• Jason Bay got the ball rolling with his bat in the 2nd, blasting a 2-run homer to straight-away center field off Mark Buehrle.
• Scott Hairston added a solo shot (his 19th) in the 4th and Daniel Murphy singled in Josh Thole in the 5th.

The Bad Stuff:

• Just when the 30,332 at Citi Field put away their heart meds, Miami came back and made it uncomfortably close in the 9th. Dickey let the first two men get on and Jon Rauch promptly gave up a 3-run homer to John Buck. Buck struck out a man but then allowed a single, but with the shadows of Tuesday night's giveaway behind him, buckled down to get the final two men and send the home fans home happy for the second straight day.
• David Wright went hitless again, failing to reach in 4 at-bats to drop his average to .305.

Final Analysis:
Gio Gonzalez of Washington may be on his way to his 20th win of 2012, but R.A. Dickey has 19 and leads in every other category that matters: ERA (2.66), strikeouts (209), innings pitched (218) complete games (5), shutouts (3). Knuckleballer or not, Dickey has been the best pitcher in the National League in 2012. As long as he doesn't completely implode on Thursday against Pittsburgh and Tuesday in Miami, there's no way he can't win the Cy Young Award. And that, my friends, would be something to celebrate at the end of this dreadful season.

MM

Game #150: Mets 7, Marlins 3

Apparently when it comes to losing, there's always a weaker fish.

Scott Hairston and Ike Davis led a New York offense that finally broke out to give Jon Niese some run support and give the Mets the win over the Marlins, 7-3.

The Good Stuff:

• Remember August 12? Remember before the All-Star Break? Those were the last times the Mets scored more than three runs in a home game and three runs in a home inning, respectively. Finally we can stop talking about it!
• The innings streak was broken in the 1st when Ike Davis singled home Daniel Murphy and Scott Hairston homered home both of them.
• The game streak was broken the very next inning when Jon Niese came in on a wild pitch and Murphy's sac fly brought home Fred Lewis.
• New York made it Lucky 7 on Scott Hairston's 5th-inning triple and Ike Davis's 7th-inning solo home run (his 28th on the year).
• All these runs were more than enough for Jon Niese, who for once didn't have to be perfect to get a win at Citi Field. He wasn't perfect, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits in 6.1 innings, but it registers as a quality start and was more than enough for us tonight.
• Bobby Parnell and Jon Rauch, two of the few redeeming members of such a dreadful bullpen, combined for 2.2 scoreless innings in relief to secure Niese's W.

The Bad Stuff:

• David Wright went 0-4 and at .307 is dangerously close to seeing his average dip below .300 for the season.
• I still have no idea who the heck Fred Lewis is or what he's doing batting leadoff.

Final Analysis:
What a refreshing sight. A near-bushel of runs, good pitching from both fronts, and a show of managerial authority: Terry Collins removed Lucas Duda from the game after the 2nd inning for lack of hustle. It always seems that after Terry has something to say, his team responds (remember this gem from last June?). Distraught they may be, discouraged since July for sure, but on this night at least, definitely not quitters. That's all you can ask for. That's all we ask for over these last 12 games.

MM

Game #149: Phillies 16, Mets 1

There are no words that can ease the pain of this one.

Philadelphia had 21 hits, New York had 3. The Phillies scored 16 runs, the Mets scored 1.

The Bad Stuff:

• Everything.

The Good Stuff:

• Nothing.

Final Analysis:
It's not like New York had anything left to lose after last night's soul-crusher. But tonight? Philly left town with a sweep and any shred of pride the Mets had left. Yesterday I said I wouldn't be surprised if New York didn't win a single game the rest of the year. Still think that's such an impossibility?

And if it weren't bad enough, now hear this: Keith Hernandez is shaving his mustache next Thursday. God help us all.

MM

Game #148: Phillies 3, Mets 2

No...just...no...

One strike away from securing Matt Harvey a W to go with his one-hit masterpiece, Josh Edgin served up a go-ahead 2-run homer to Ryan Howard, propelling the Phillies past the lifeless Mets in excruciating 3-2 fashion.

The Bad Stuff:

• And here I thought I would get to put Good Stuff first this time. At least I'm not in the same boat as Adam Rubin and have to burn my copy of an uplifting piece.
• Up 2-1 in the top of the 9th, Josh Edgin had Chase Utley on the ropes, ready for his first big-league save. But a couple close pitches missed and Utley was on with a walk. Up came Ryan Howard, looking to infuse some life into a team suddenly in the playoff chase. But in order to bring his team to life, he would have to further bludgeon an already beaten beyond belief Mets team. Howard sent Edgin's 0-1 fastball deep into right field, sucking the joy from those who remained of the Citi Field crowd of 21,741.
• And you just knew that when that ball went over the fence New York was done. Jordany Valdespin's ejection for arguing balls and strikes was just the cherry on top of a sick, sick sundae.
• Of course, if the team could just score some runs, all of this could have been avoided. New York stranded 10 men and hit 2-10 with RISP.

The Good Stuff:

• All this overshadows what was supposed to be the final bow in Matt Harvey's first act in the bigs. After giving up a leadoff homer to Jimmy Rollins, Harvey was beyond brilliant, refusing to allow Philadelphia another hit in 7 innings. He walked 3 and struck out 7 to finish his 2012 with a 3-5 record, a 2.73 ERA, 26 walks, and 70 strikeouts in 59.1 innings. Fear not, Mets fans: we have at least one bright spot in 2013.
• David Wright was in line to be the hero at the plate as he belted a solo home run in the 6th inning (his 18th and 82nd RBI) to put the Mets on top 2-1.

Final Analysis:
Just when you think it couldn't get any worse. Every home game has been a further nail in this coffin of a two months. But this was the one that made it feel all the more real: this loss gives New York 82 losses on the season, clinching a 4th straight year under the .500 mark. There are 14 games remaining in the 2012 season. Fourteen more games until we can wake up from this terrible nightmare. But after a loss like tonight's, it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't win one more game in those final 14.

MM

Game #147: Phillies 3, Mets 1

(NYDailyNews.com)

Nope! Turns out we didn't even have Dickey's 19th to look forward to.

R.A. Dickey turned in a quality start but picked up the loss as Cliff Lee and the Phillies furthered themselves back into the Wild Card chase at the expense of the Mets, 3-1.

The Bad Stuff:

• That big fat "L" in R.A. Dickey's corner. Plus two solo home runs.
• (Insert same old offensive woes, including 11 strikeouts)

The Good Stuff:

• Dickey's actual numbers: 7 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, 8 strikeouts (giving him 205 on the season)

Final Analysis:
Dickey's certainly doing his part to try to win the Cy Young. It's his backing bats that are failing him and skewing that record; what was once 18-4 is now 18-6. Here's hoping the voters really do look past W-L record, because the way R.A. has pitched for what turned out to be a lousy team is certainly praiseworthy.

MM

Games #145-146: Brewers 9-3, Mets 6-0

I missed posting on last night's loss and figured I could just lump it in with today's. Unfortunately both games end with the same sound: splat.

Jenrry Mejia was rocked in his first big league start in two years and New York spent all their offense on Saturday, leaving none for Sunday afternoon. The result: the Brewers taking both games and the series, 9-6 on Saturday and 3-0 today.

The Bad Stuff:

• Let's start with the man who wants to be a big-league starter, despite his tendencies toward the bullpen: Jenrry Mejia. The way he pitched on Saturday afternoon he wouldn't make either spot on a major league roster. Mejia gave up 5 runs on 5 hits and 5 walks in 3+ innings. His ERA now stands at a terrible-but-we're-used-to-it 10.80.
• New York's relief effort wasn't great holding back Milwaukee either, combining to let the other four runs in after Mejia's exit.
• The Mets scored six runs in that first game but didn't leave any for today when they could have actually won: the Amazin's had just two hits and four total baserunners against Wily Peralta.
• All of Milwaukee's runs today came from solo home runs against Chris Young: two by Ryan Braun and one by Aramis Ramirez.

The Good Stuff:

• New York pounded out 10 hits on Saturday, including three each by Daniel Murphy and Ike Davis. Murph's double and two singles produced a couple runs and Davis added a single, double, and his 27th home run of the year to tie David Wright for the team RBI lead.
• For all of Young's iniquities against Braun and Ramirez, he technically merited a quality start this afternoon, going 6.2 innings and allowing just 5 other hits, walking none and striking out 2.

Final Analysis:
At 66-80, the Mets would have to go undefeated the rest of the way to finish with a winning record. Think it can happen? Nope. So what's keeping us interested with football on? Try Robert Allen Dickey, who goes after W #19 tomorrow against Cliff Lee and the Phillies.

MM

Game #144: Mets 7, Brewers 3

(NYDailyNews.com)

All the New York offense needed? A change of scenery. And sausage.

Lucas Duda's 6th inning home run put it away for Jon Niese, who helped the Mets cruise to a 7-3 series-opening victory over the Brewers.

The Good Stuff:

• After stalling at Citi Field all week, the Mets' bats got going right of the bat in Milwaukee, scoring 2 runs in the 1st inning on RBIs by Ike Davis and Lucas Duda. The 2nd inning brought further treasures as Daniel Murphy launched a bomb for his sixth home run of the year on the first pitch from Mike Fiers. 4-0 Amazin's.
• The Brewers cut the lead in half by scoring twice in the bottom of the 2nd, but Lucas Duda led a 3-run charge in the 6th with his 14th home run of 2012. Two batters later Andres Torres reached on an error and Josh Thole hit a rare double to score him. Thole came in on Ruben Tejada's fielder's choice, and the Mets had a should-be insurmountable 7-2 lead.
• Spoiler alert: it was insurmountable. Because Jon Niese pitched as well as he needed to, going 6 innings and allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, walking 3 and striking out 5.
• When he left, Josh Edgin, Jon Rauch, Bobby Parnell, and Ramon Ramirez took care of the rest, allowing just one throwaway run in the 9th to secure the victory.
• After scoring more runs than fans are used to seeing in a week, these men stand out from the box score:
• Daniel Murphy (2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI)
• David Wright (2-5, 2 2B, 2 R) [his 2 doubles give him 40 two-baggers on the year]
• Lucas Duda (2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI)

The Bad Stuff:

• I was out tonight so I didn't get to see any of these runs being scored. I don't know when I'll ever see as many runs scored again!

Final Analysis:
There's a high school in my home state of Indiana, Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. They are one of the best football teams in the country, not just the state, and they play all their games on the road because they don't have a homefield. The Mets should take a page out of Cathedral's book; it certainly worked for them tonight as they broke a 6-game losing streak (all at home). For once, all three important factors showed up to the right ballpark: starting pitching, relief pitching, offense were all in sync as New York played spoiler for a Brewers team with a potential back-to-back MVP (although he won't get it - see Jayson Stark for why) looking to get back into the playoff race. This season is sunk; heck, it's so far sunk that Robert Ballard is about to discover it. But if the Mets can keep winning games, and keep winning like this, they'll give their fans a smile going into a crucial offseason. Keep it up, boys!

MM

Game #143: Nationals 2, Mets 0

M-E-T-S Mets? Try R-U-T-S Ruts. Cause that's what New York is stuck in, and tonight, once again, it wasn't pretty.

Matt Harvey allowed a single run but that was all the Nationals needed as the Mets came up empty at the plate, falling in a sweep 2-0.

The Bad Stuff:

• Try 13 straight homegames with 3 or less runs and an 0-6 homestand against hated division rivals. Just another week at Citi Field.

The Good Stuff:

• Matt Harvey's lone crime, the one thing he did to merit the L on the night, was allowing a solo home run to Ryan Zimmerman in the 4th inning. Nowadays, that "1" on the scoreboard might as well become a "10." Other than that one bad pitch, Harvey was great in his106 pitches over 5 innings, giving up 4 additional hits and 3 walks while striking out 10 for the second time this season. While his record says 3-5, his 2.92 ERA and 63 Ks over 9 starts (52.1 innings) make him one of the few bright spots in this season of discontent.
• David Wright did his best to break the ice, going 2-4 and stealing 2 bases.

Final Analysis:
Well, they're certainly making my job easier. That's not a good thing.

MM

Game #142: Nationals 5, Mets 3

(NYDailyNews.com)

The Mets made a bit of history tonight by breaking a historically long drought...and even that wasn't enough.

R.A. Dickey gave up a late 2-run homer to Tyler Moore and the Nationals put the Mets away late for the 5-3 victory.

The Bad Stuff:

• R.A. Dickey was roughed up early but escaped with only one run against him in the 1st inning. After New York grabbed the lead in the 5th, he was well on his way to win #19. But lest we forget, we shouldn't just assume he can go out and pitch nearly perfect every time; sometimes he will be merely good. Dickey allowed a one-out single to Kurt Suzuki in the 7th, his first knuckleball to Tyler Moore didn't knuckle, and Moore deposited it into the left field stands. Nationals up 3-2 and R.A. would make his exit after that inning, beneficiary of quality start of 3 runs on 8 hits (3 by Bryce Harper, who had 4 in the game) in 7 innings.
• Unfortunately for Dickey, those two runs were all the support he would get. The Mets went down 1-2-3 in the 7th and 8th, and by the time Scott Hairston delivered run #3 with a 9th-inning homer, Frank Francisco had let two more runs leak in and it wasn't enough.
• New York went 1-6 with RISP (I suppose we should count ourselves lucky to even get that one hit), hit into 2 double plays, and stranded 7 men on base, including leaving the bases loaded with one out in the 1st.

The Good Stuff:

• Now here's that history-making stuff I was talking about earlier. It's the kind of history only the Mets could make. After 4 innings tonight, the team had gone, according to Howie & Josh on WFAN and confirmed by Adam Rubin on Twitter, 110 consecutive innings without scoring more than one run at home. That's either 0s or 1s on the hometown scoreboard for a little more than 12 games in a row. Said Josh Lewin: "That's the longest drought since '09...1909, that is." Yes, the 1909 Washington Senators had the longest such streak in baseball history with 119 consecutive innings without "crooked numbers," as Howie Rose put it. First thoughts: again, the people at Elias Sports Bureau have way too much time on their hands. Second, that's pretty darn bad. You thought the Diamondbacks played in the desert? Try Citi Field since the All-Star Break.
• Fortunately, in the 5th inning, we all got to freeze that number at 110. Ruben Tejada hit a one-out single, his third hit in a 3-5 night, and came home on Daniel Murphy's 36th double of the year. New York fans would've been satisfied with just that run, but David Wright woke up in time to slash a single into left to bring home Murphy and finally put a "2" in the home boxscore. About freakin' time.
• Scott Hairston hit his 17th home run of the year in the 9th, tying a career high he set with the Padres in 2008 and in San Diego and Oakland in 2009. He got there this time about 30 plate appearances quicker than in '08.

Final Analysis:
A friend of mine (Tigers fan) tweeted me this after tonight's game. Enough said. Good night, folks.

MM

Game #141: Nationals 5, Mets 1

Shea Stadium in its heyday was known for the airplanes that would fly directly over en route to LaGuardia Airport. Citi Field also has that feature, only tonight the objects flying overhead were a little more spherical...and originating from Dulles.

Collin McHugh served up 3 Washington home runs and the offensive woes continued to plague the Mets, who fell to the Nationals 5-1.

The Bad Stuff:

• It all began with a harmless foul popup by Kurt Suzuki in the 3rd. Collin McHugh was solid for the first couple frames and looking to make short order of Washington's 8-9-1 hitters. Kelly Shoppach was looking to give him the chance to do so...until that hope for a quick inning bounced off Shoppach's mitt and fell harmlessly to the ground. Two pitches later, Suzuki took advantage of the free pass to launch his 4th home run of the year. McHugh looked to put that unfortunate pitch behind him, quickly retiring Gio Gonzalez and Jayson Werth. But McHugh wasn't ready to reach for 4 outs instead of the standard 3: he walked Bryce Harper and promptly served up another longball, this time one of the 2-run variety to Ryan Zimmerman. By the time the inning had finally ended, the Nationals were the proud owners of 3 unearned runs, courtesy of benefactor Shoppach and delivery boy McHugh.
• I don't have anything nearly as eloquent to say about the 4th inning: Michael Morse single, Ian Desmond homer. Five-zip. Ballgame. McHugh made his exit after that frame with a final line of 4 innings, 5 hits, 5 runs (2 earned), 2 BB, 3 Ks, 3 HRs. Ouch.
• On the other side of the plate, New York continues to play small ball in hopes that baseball will suddenly switch to golf rules and give the win to the lowest scoring team. Scott Hairston's solo homer in the 4th was the only run the Mets could plate as their 3-runs-or-less home streak stretched on to 11 games.

The Good Stuff:

• At least now, as Howie Rose pointed out on WFAN, we have one at-bat that serves as a microcosm for the whole second half of 2012: Shoppach's dropped popup that turned into a home run. Imagine how much time we'll save trying to explain it to our non-Met fan friends!

Final Analysis:
Terry Collins moved the team's batting practice closer to game time in hopes of jump-starting some offense. Well...that didn't work. Back to the drawing board, better luck next time. With R.A. Dickey on the mound looking to match Gonzalez with his 19th win, perhaps a single run is all the Mets will need.

MM

Game #140: Braves 3, Mets 2 (10)

And the train keeps on...not rolling.

The Braves broke through in the top of the 10th and the Mets wasted more opportunities at the plate, falling in a sweep 3-2.

The Bad Stuff:

• Make it 10 in a row without eclipsing 3 runs at home. Today the team went 2-9 with RISP and left 7 men on base.
• The key moments of futility came in the 8th, 9th, and 10th innings.
• After Ruben Tejada reached on an error in the 8th, Daniel Murphy singled him over to third base. David Wright, already with one RBI in the game, failed to plate Tejada, grounding out softly to the right side.
• In the 9th, Ike Davis led off with a single, but Lucas Duda and Kelly Shoppach struck out, failing to advance pinch-running Jason Bay. Andres Torres was the last chance after Bay stole second himself, but Torres grounded out to end the threat.
• After Bobby Parnell allowed a run to score in the top of the 10th, Jordany Valdespin led off with a single of his own. Tejada sac-bunted him over to second, and Valdespin stole third base during a Scott Hairston strikeout. Murphy, who had a monster game at the plate (see Good Stuff), was walked to bring David Wright up for a chance at redemption. Chance squandered: Wright swung at the second pitch from Peter Moylan to fly out to right field, and Chipper Jones's ballclub left Citi Field for the last time in 2012 with the last laugh.

The Good Stuff:

• Chris Young turned in a quality start, going 6 innings and allowing 2 runs on 5 hits with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts.
• Daniel Murphy went 3-4 with 2 doubles and both New York runs.
• David Wright and Ike Davis picked up the RBIs on the day, continuing their chase for the team lead; Wright leads slightly, 80-78.

Final Analysis:
How quickly things can turn around: 8 of 9 wins a couple weeks ago has turned into 5 of 6 losses this week. Starting pitching was there today, and so was the bullpen for the most part, but the bats were locked away somewhere and couldn't make it in time.

Wish I could have given you some more fanfare for Midwestern Met's 300th post, but unfortunately that's not happening today. Ho-hum, wait till next time. At least with the Nationals coming into town the Mets won't have to face Stephen Strasburg anymore.

MM

Game #139: Braves 11, Mets 3

The game was bad enough, what made it worse was the thunderstorms that prolonged the agony.

Jeremy Hefner was rocked early and a poor showing from the bullpen guaranteed a Mets loss as they fell 11-3 to the Braves.

The Bad Stuff:

• Jeremy Hefner didn't get out of the 3rd inning, allowing 5 runs on 8 hits.
• It didn't get any better once Hef left the game, as Justin Hampson, Robert Carson, Manny Acosta, Jeurys Familia, Ramon Ramirez, and Elvin Ramirez combined to allow 6 more Atlanta runs come in over the next 6 innings.
• Even a halfway decent offense would be hard-pressed to score 12 runs to win the game, but this New York "run-scoring machine" has been like wet paper at home lately. Only plating 3 runs tonight, the team has now scored thrice or less in 9 consecutive home games.

The Good Stuff:

• Lucas Duda had a good day at the plate, going 2-4 with a double and 2 RBIs.
• Both times Duda drove in David Wright, who went 2-4 himself on the afternoon.
• Ronny Cedeno hit a solo home run in the 5th.

Final Analysis:
It's not Chipper Jones who's raining on the Mets' parade this weekend, but he seems to have transferred his Larry-ness powers to...well, the entire Atlanta Braves team. Nothing has gone right for the Mets in these two games and are in danger of giving Chipper one last cackling laugh before he finally sinks into the depths of retirement. He's going out with a series win anyways, and now the least the Mets can do is let the back door hit him on the way out.

MM

Game #138: Braves 3, Mets 0

It wasn't Larry who killed the Mets on this night; no, the old timer went hitless in four at-bats. Other Braves, on the other hand, fared just a little better tonight at Citi Field.

Atlanta's 6-7-8 hitters combined to drive in all the runs and Jon Niese got absolutely no run support as the Mets dropped the first game of Chipper Jones's swansong in New York, 3-0.

The Bad Stuff:

• Let's cut right to the chase: 5 hits, 0-10 with RISP, 11 left on. I think that paints a vivid enough picture for tonight.

The Good Stuff:

• Jon Niese picked up a tough L on the night, only allowing a solo home run to Jason Heyward in the 4th inning. Niese finished the night with just that 1 run on 5 hits in 6 innings, including 1 walk and 2 strikeouts in exactly 100 pitches.
• Jenrry Mejia returned to the major leagues after a misconstrued half-season in Flushing and tossed 2 innings in relief, his only mistake being a curveball that didn't curve which Dan Uggla blasted for a home run in the 9th.

Final Analysis:
Once it got out of the hands of Paul Maholm in the 6th (and he pitched a heck of a game as well) and into those of the rock-solid Atlanta bullpen, you could have called it right then and nobody would've missed anything. The Mets couldn't get any hits after Maholm made his exit and could barely get any when the Braves' starter was in there in the first place. It was as if the team left their bats in St. Louis; a tough, tough way to start a homestand. All that can be hoped for is that the team's bats get into LaGuardia early tomorrow; it's an afternoon game.

MM

Appearance on the Phil Naessens Show, 9/6/12

The Midwestern Met is expanding from print to sound! I made my Internet sports talk debut tonight on The Phil Naessens Show's Mets Weekly Report, talking about Terry Collins, Sandy Alderson, and Joel Sherman's suggestion to trade David Wright and R.A. Dickey. Take a listen!

http://www.philnaessens.com/apps/podcast/podcast/254976

WD

Game #137: Mets 6, Cardinals 2

(NYDailyNews.com)

Remember that Spring Training game all those years ago when Randy Johnson killed a dove with a fastball? That didn't happen today. But a few Cardinals got stunned by a knuckleball, that's for sure.

R.A. Dickey soared to his major league-leading 18th W and Ike Davis gave him some insurance with a 3-run homer as the Mets salvaged the final game of the series against the Cardinals 6-2.

The Good Stuff:

• Compared to what he's done earlier in this season, you could say R.A. Dickey was a little off this afternoon: "just" 6 2/3 innings, 8 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, "only" 5 strikeouts on 104 pitches. One of those runs was even a solo home run for St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright! His ERA even increased...from 2.63 to 2.64 (shocking!) That's the perspective Mets fans see Dickey work in nowadays. But when you step back and look at the big picture...dang, son! This guy's good! He may have fell short of the Solid Seven, but R.A. was rock solid en route to his 18th win of the season.
• Ike Davis's mid-season comeback made another stop at Busch Stadium as he launched a 3-run home run in the 5th inning to make the score 5-1. The blast was Ike's 26th of the year and the 3 RBIs gave him 77, just 2 shy of David Wright's team lead. Since June 12 Davis has hit .266 with an .894 OPS, including 20 of his home runs and 52 RBIs.
• Daniel Murphy had 3 hits on the afternoon, scoring once. Other New Yorkers who came up big at the plate were Mike Baxter (2-5, 2 runs) and Justin Turner (2 doubles, 2 runs). Lucas Duda, Josh Thole, and Andres Torres picked up the other 3 RBIs.
• Josh Edgin bailed Dickey out of the 7th inning, while Jon Rauch took care of the 8th and Frank Francisco managed the 9th in easy, if not unusual fashion: Adron Chambers drew a leadoff walk, and after Frank Frank struck out Daniel Delasco, Yadier Molina hit a flyball to right field. In the same fashion as in Monday afternoon's game, the Mets appealed that Chambers did not touch second base while heading back to first to avoid being doubled off. Baxter tossed the ball in to Murphy, who flipped it to Ruben Tejada on second base. Third out, 9-4-6 style, and with the "most anti-climactic 'Put it in the Books' ever" (as Howie Rose described it) and some of the players actually complaining about the freebee the received, the Mets were Wednesday afternoon winners. And as for Monday? Now we're even.

The Bad Stuff:

• Ruben Tejada was the only starter besides Dickey to go hitless in the game, earning the "Golden Sombrero" with 4 strikeouts in 4 at-bats. Tejada, who once led all major league shortstops in batting average, is now hitting .294; still perfectly acceptable, but kind of disappointing that he appears to have run out of gas.

Final Analysis:
It took R.A. Dickey, who first made it to the majors in 2001, until 2008 with Seattle to get to 18 wins in his career. He's equaled that total in 28 starts in 2012. While not at his absolute best, Dickey pitched as well as he needed to, mostly silencing the Redbird bats and furthering his case for the NL Cy Young Award. As for his team, it may not have been a series win, but they escaped St. Louis with one win in their back pockets and have still won 8 of their last 11. After an off day tomorrow, the fight for third continues on Friday as, for the final time, Flushing plays host to Chipper the Met Killer and the Atlanta Braves.

MM

Game #136: Cardinals 5, Mets 1

There was a late run scored, but far less drama tonight at Busch Stadium.

Matt Harvey was flat in the 2nd inning, leading to 3 St. Louis runs and eventually resulting in the Cardinals' 5-1 triumph over the Mets.

The Bad Stuff:

• Matt Harvey had one bad inning: 4 straight singles in the 2nd inning led to 3 Redbird runs. Harvey's final line wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, though: 5 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts.
• The Met offense couldn't hit in the clutch, going 0-7 with RISP and stranding 7 castaways on Gilligan's Island: Midwest Edition.
• Justin Hampson and Ramon Ramirez allowed a run each in the 6th and 7th, allowing the Cardinals to put some more space between them and the visitors.

The Good Stuff:

• Jeurys Familia finally made his New York Mets debut in the 8th inning, allowing a hit but striking out Lance Berkman and forcing a double play to complete a scoreless frame.
• Of the Mets' 11 hits, 2 of them each came from Ruben Tejada, David Wright, and Scott Hariston (none of them scored at all).

Final Analysis:
A brief summary for a brief and otherwise uneventful game. The Mets dropped their first series since the Colorado debacle in August, although at least this time it was to a contender. R.A. Dickey has a chance to play spoiler tomorrow and keep St. Louis from breaking out their brooms. Let's do it.

MM

Game #135: Cardinals 5, Mets 4

(NYDailyNews.com)

On this Labor Day afternoon, Andres Torres labored New York out of another potential comeback.

Torres was called out after missing first base on a double in the 9th, taking the life out of the Mets, who fell to the Cardinals 5-4.

The Bad Stuff:

• After a long at-bat to lead off the 9th against St. Louis closer Jason Motte, Andres torres appeared to hit a rally-starting double. But he stutter-stepped around first base, making the play too close for comfort, and young umpire David Rackley called Torres out for missing the bag Marv Throneberry style. That crucial call deflated the Mets as they went down easily in the rest of the final inning, falling one run short of another comeback.
• Torres's actual hit of the afternoon was a a 2-out triple in the 7th, but he was stranded on third when Justin Turner grounded out to end the inning.
• A week and a half removed from his sensational major league debut, Collin McHugh was exposed as mortal at Busch Stadium; McHugh lasted just 4 innings in his second start, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits, including Skip Schumaker's first home run of the season (a 2-run bomb in the 4th).
• David Wright went hitless again, going 0-4 to drop his average to an increasingly-pedestrian .311.

The Good Stuff:

• Kelly Shoppach and Daniel Murphy were responsible for turning a 4-0 deficit into just a 5-4 one with 2-run homers each in the 7th and the 8th.
• Robert Carson allowed a run in the 7th but the rest of the bullpen kept the Cardinals from pulling away.

Final Analysis:
Certainly a tough loss knowing how well the team has played in late innings lately. I have to figure that if Torres had definitively touched first on that faux double the Mets would have come back. But hey, they sure as heck don't quit. Let's just shake it off and get them tomorrow.

MM

Game #134: Mets 5, Marlins 1

(NYDailyNews.com)

Swab the deck, me mateys: we're sweeping up some fish now!

Jason Bay's 1st inning grand slam provided the difference and Chris Young and the bullpen strung together a fantastic day on the mound, giving the Mets the win and the sweep over the Marlins, 5-1.

The Good Stuff:

• It didn't take long for New York to solve Miami's Mark Buehrle: Ronny Cedeno and Justin Turner led off the game with doubles and Cedeno was driven in by a David Wright groundout.
• After Scott Hairston popped out, Ike Davis walked and Kelly Shoppach was hit by a pitch. Up came Jason Bay, reduced to a part time player, making his first start since August 25. Met fans probably didn't get their hopes up, but Mr. Bay proved he still has a little left in the tank, launching a grand slam to right center to effectively end the game before the Marlins even came to bat.
• Bay went 2-4 on the day to increase his batting average to .160 and, as Walter Villa of ESPN New York points out, equaled his offensive production (1 HR, 4 RBIs) for the past month in one swing.
• This was more offense than Chris Young is probably used to getting in a month's worth of starts, but Young gladly took the gift of lots of wiggle room to pitch 5 strong innings of 1-run, 5-hit ball to pick up the W.
• The team then stared down the prospect of having the bullpen pitch 4 innings, but the men in the relief role once again did not disappoint: Bobby Parnell, Josh Edgin, Jon Rauch, and Frank Francisco nailed down the storm windows and allowed just 1 more hit the rest of the way. While it wasn't a save situation, Frank-Frank did his job more than adequately in the 9th, needing only 11 pitches to close out the Marlins.

The Bad Stuff:

• While the offense was great in the 1st, the unit was basically shut down for the rest of the afternoon. Buehrle ended up pitching 7 innings, needing only 1 more pitch to get through that than Young needed to get through 5.
• David Wright went 0-4, dropping his average down to .314.

Final Analysis:
Talk about Labor Day fun in the sun. Everything came together for the Mets this weekend in Miami, as great starting pitching, solid relief, and clutch (if not abundant) hitting combined to give New York its first sweep since June 18-20 against Baltimore. While Chris Young probably won't be back in the rotation next April, he made a case for one of the long relief roles alongside Jeremy Hefner. Jason Bay showed the best way to use him is to do so like sweets at the top of the food pyramid: sparingly. All-in-all, a great weekend to be a Mets fan, and a great way to begin the home stretch in pursuit of 3rd place in the NL East.

MM

Game #133: Mets 5, Marlins 3

(MetsBlog.com)

New York was dormant for 8 innings, but an eruption in the final frame gave one of its most embattled members his shot at redemption.

Kelly Shoppach's 2-out single plus an error capped a 4-run 9th and Frank Francisco nailed down the save for the Mets, who strung together a thrilling comeback over the Marlins 5-3.

The Good Stuff:

• Down 3-1 in the 9th, the Mets caught a break when Ozzie Guillen pulled Josh Johnson, who had limited his opposition to 3 hits over 8 innings, in favor of closer Steve Cishek. Daniel Murphy got things going with a leadoff single, and David Wright followed with one of his own. After Ike Davis struck out, Lucas Duda chopped a groundball through the middle to score Murph and send Wright to third. Mike Baxter popped out and Andres Torres drew a full-count walk, bringing up Kelly Shoppach, who had replaced Josh Thole on a double switch an inning earlier. Right decision: Shoppach grounded a base hit to center that was mishandled by Justin Ruggiano; when the dust had settled all three runs scored and Shoppach was on third with 2 RBIs, another clutch hit, and a strengthened case for a return trip to Flushing in 2013.
• After Cishek did his best Heath Bell impression, Frank Francisco came in looking to shut the door on the Marlins and his doubts. The last time he was down here, Frank-Frank blew 2 saves, lost his temper, and nearly lost his job. But he put those days behind him and sat Miami down 1-2-3, striking out John Buck to end the game and send the Met fans within the Marlins Park crowd of 26,042 home happy.
• Jeremy Hefner pitched well enough to win, tossing 6 innings of 2-run, 6-hit ball, but was unfortunately let down by his offense.
• Josh Thole pounded out his first hit in half a month, a single in the 8th to go along with his RBI groundout in the 5th.

The Bad Stuff:

• See Innings 1-8 when Josh Johnson allowed just 5 baserunners all together.
• Ramon Ramirez picked up the W but allowed an insurance run to the Marlins in the 8th.

Final Analysis:
The Mets were dead in the water but went completely Jaws on the fish tonight, staring off September in thrilling fashion. Henfer continues to impress on the mound, Shoppach makes that waiver-wire trade in August seem better and better, Frank Francisco has one of his better days to close it out. The result was New York's 6th win in 7 games and third straight series. We'll take it.

MM