Game #151: Mets 5, Giants 4

Tonight I was prepared to write another piece with the them of the New York Mets being lifeless in their final two weeks of 2013. But against all odds, in the bottom of the 9th tonight against the defending world champions, the Mets woke up.

(NYDailyNews.com)

Josh Satin's walk-off two-run single capped an improbable four-run comeback as the Mets nipped the Giants at the last possible moment 5-4.

The Good Stuff:

• Down 4-0 in the bottom of the 8th and showing no signs of getting anything going, Matt den Dekker worked a full count and singled to lead off. He stole second and advanced to third on an error, coming home on Josh Satin's sac fly. "Okay," Mets fans thought, "at least we won't get shut out."
• Then came the bottom of the 9th and an Andrew Brown leadoff walk. Then after a Lucas Duda strikeout came a Juan Lagares walk. Then a Zack Lutz double to score Brown and make it 4-2. Then Juan Centeno got his second hit and first RBI in his first major-league game to make it 4-3. Then after Anthony Recker was brought on to pinch run, den Dekker drew himself a walk. Then Omar Quintanilla flew out to bring up New York's last gasp in the form of Satin. Then, working from his last strike, Satin made contact with a fastball right down the middle, lacing it into left to plate the winning runs. Then came the celebration. And oh, was there a celebration.
• After Aaron Harang's shaky start, Carlos Torres, David Aardsma, and Vic Black kept the Mets within range for four relief innings, as Black picked up his second W with the team.

The Bad Stuff:

• Harang again wasn't great, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks in five innings, striking out eight on 100 pitches.
• Ruben Tejada's season came to a painful end in the top of the 9th when, after colliding with Andrew Brown while going after an Angel Pagan popup, fractured his right fibula. That's right: fractured. He finished his tumultuous 2013 hitting just .202.

Final Analysis:
Sure, it's a meaningless game, but that doesn't have to mean it's worthless. In contention or not, the Mets just managed their first four-run comeback of the season, and Josh Satin had his first career walk-off. Good stuff still happens to losing teams in late September. Way to go, boys.

MM