Game #158: Mets 1, Reds 0

Only the pace of the game would have indicated the difference between Daisuke Matsuzaka and Matt Harvey today in Cincinnati.

(NYDailyNews.com)

Dice-K tossed nearly eight shutout innings, and Eric Young's RBI single in the 3rd was all the Mets needed in a 1-0 series clincher over the Reds.

The Good Stuff:

• Matsuzaka out-dueled Cincy's Mat Latos, giving up just four hits and two walks in 7.2 scoreless frames, striking out six on 105 pitches.
• The game's only run came in the top of the 3rd when Wilfrdo Tovar was hit by a pitch, went to second on Dice-K's bunt, advanced on a passed ball, and came home on Eric Young's single to right.
• Pedro Feliciano got the last out of the 8th, and after deferring to Vic Black last night, LaTroy Hawkins completed a 1-2-3 9th for his 13th save of the year.

The Bad Stuff:

• New York only managed four hits on the afternoon, but with pitching like that, offense wasn't needed.

Final Analysis:
Hey, the Mets are on a hot streak! Their 9-4 stretch over the past 13 contests almost makes us forget that half the team is injured. And half those wins came without David Wright! Not all is lost in Amazin' Land.

Tomorrow the Mets return home for their final four games of the year against the Milwaukee Brewers. I don't care how rough the season's been - I'll miss baseball when it's done.

MM