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