Game #156: Reds 3, Mets 2 (10)

One of the Mets' prime targets this offseason was the one who extended their misery this current season.

Shin-Soo Choo's walk-off single propelled the Reds over the top, as they finally shook the Mets 3-2.

The Bad Stuff:

• After David Aardsma got out of a similar situation in the bottom of the 9th, Greg Burke allowed two one-out singles in the bottom of the 10th. He was relieved in favor of Sean Henn, who promptly served up a walk-off single to upcoming free agent Shin-Soo Choo.
• Choo also stole two bases to give him 20 on the season. In other news, Cincy speedster Billy Hamilton, who has appeared in 93 percent fewer major-league games this season than Choo, stole his 13th base of the season.
• New York managed just six hits off Johnny Cueto and company, managing only five at-bats with RISP and stranding five men on base.

The Good Stuff:

• Aaron Harang actually earned a quality start tonight, allowing two runs despite walking a whopping six batters and giving up five more hits in six innings. Three of those walks were issued to Joey Votto, who pulled a Mike Baxter by walking five times in the game.
• Lucas Duda drove in both Met runs, the first on a sac fly in the 3rd and the next on a solo home run in the 6th.
• Eric Young went 2-5, stole a base, and was caught another time. The stolen base was EY Jr.'s 41st of the year and 33rd as a Met. Should the Reds make the playoffs (and I don't count losing the play-in game as "making it"), Billy Hamilton will probably surpass that number by, say, Game 4 of the NLCS.

Final Analysis:
Cincinnati is good. I mean, really good. How are they not in first place?

Back to our story...oh yeah, I guess that's about it.

Except Lucas Duda needs to hit more home runs with men on base. I don't know what spooks him about it, but he needs to make it work if he's going to find work with the Mets in 2014.

MM

P.S. While I was writing this blog post, Billy Hamilton just stole three more bases.