Game #75: Mets 3, Rockies 2

With David Wright getting the day off, what would it take for the Mets to steal one in mile-high Denver? Just someone who spends plenty of time up in the air: a Byrd.

(NYDailyNews.com)

Marlon Byrd socked a two-run go-ahead home run in the top of the 8th to propel the Mets to a 3-2 makeup victory over the Rockies.

The Good Stuff:

• Down 2-1 in the top of the 8th, Daniel Murphy grounded a one-out single up the middle (his second hit of the afternoon). That brought up Byrd, who took the seventh pitch he saw from Matt Belisle and swung at a ball that rose and drifted all the way over the fence in left center.
• Scott Rice got through his troubles in the bottom of the 8th and handed it off to Bobby Parnell, who sat the Rockies down 1-2-3 for his second save in as many nights (his 14th of the year).
• The runs came too late for Jeremy Hefner, who picked up the no-decision after another quality start. Hef's final numbers were two runs against (one earned) on five hits in six innings, including a walk and three strikeouts on 80 pitches. Despite only winning two of his starts this month, Hefner has an ERA of 1.80 in June, putting him in line for a potential NL Pitcher of the Month.
• Hef also helped his own cause with an RBI groundout in the 5th inning.

The Bad Stuff:

• Josh Satin's throwing error led to Colorado's second, unearned run in the bottom of the 2nd.

Final Analysis:
Tomorrow night the New York Mets return home not as a 32-43 ball club, but as the conquering heroes of a 7-4 road trip. Since Kirk Nieuwenhuis's miracle blast off Carlos Marmol, the Mets have won eight of their last 12 games. All aspects of good baseball have finally synced up, as New York is getting great starting pitching, bullpen work, and clutch hitting all at once. Drink it in, fans: our summer fun has arrived.

MM