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