Game #91: Mets 4, Pirates 2

Perhaps Terry Collins told his team they wouldn't get a break unless they won this game. Whatever he told them, it worked.

(NYDailyNews.com)

Dillon Gee's strong outing was backed by three 1st-inning runs and the Mets salvaged the final game of the series with the Pirates, 4-2.

The Good Stuff:

• Eric Young singled on Gerrit Cole's third pitch of the game and David Wright followed with a single two batters later. Marlon Byrd then put an exclamation point on a comeback first half with a ground-rule double to plate Young. Three batters later, John Buck came in to clean up the mess with a two-run single that gave Dillon Gee a three-run lead before he even took the mound.
• Pun intended, Gee ran with his run support for 6.2 innings, allowing an unearned run on five hits and a walk, striking out two on 105 pitches. The W gives Gee a 7-7 record on the season, a far cry from his 2-6 mark before the Yankee series. His ERA since that start is a sterling 2.67.
• Daniel Murphy added the fourth run of the game on an RBI triple.
• LaTroy Hawkins let in a run in the 8th but Pittsburgh would get no closer, as Bobby Parnell overcame a couple 9th-inning singles to shut the door on his 17th save of the year.

The Bad Stuff:

• Murphy and Gee each committed errors for the visitors, and Gee's in the 3rd led to the Pirates' first run.

Final Analysis:
The biggest reason for the Mets' 17-11 turnaround since June 16 is the lockdown starting pitching of Matt Harvey, Jeremy Hefner, and Dillon Gee. Those names don't exactly draw immediate comparisons to Seaver-Koosman-Matlack of 40 years ago, but they're certainly getting the job done for the 2013 New Yorkers. If Zack Wheeler comes around after the All-Star Break, it's going to be tough to beat the Mets in the last two months of the season.

MM

P.S. Congrats to Mike Piazza, who will soon be a member of the Mets Hall of Fame!

Game #38: Mets 5, Cardinals 2

It is official: we root for a solar-powered baseball team. All it took to win was the sun.

Daniel Murphy and David Wright led the offensive charge and Jonathon Niese finally got back on track as the Mets skipped town with a 5-2 win over the Cardinals.

The Good Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Down 1-0 in the top of the 3rd, Jordany Valdespin got a rally going with a two-out single. Daniel Murphy continued his hot streak with a game-tying double. David Wright singled him home one batter later to put the New Yorkers on top for the first time in what seems like forever.
• In the 6th inning, Murph took his hot streak to a whole new level, lining a double with some impeccable aim through a gap in the right field wall for a ground-rule double. He scored five pitches later when Wright took Adam Wainwright for a ride for an RBI double, and Wright in turn came home two batters later on Lucas Duda's sac fly.
• Murphy finished 4-4 at the plate, topping off a spectacular series hitting 10-16 with four doubles and three RBIs. His batting is now back up to a respectable .297.
• The sudden barrage of runs was more than enough for Jonathon Niese, who finally pitched a good game at a two-run, six-hit clip in 7.1 innings, walking two and striking out three on 113 pitches.
• Bobby Parnell shut the door for his fourth save to drop his ERA to 1.04.
• New York executed two more double plays, a couple 5-4-3 turns that killed Redbird rallies in the 6th and 8th.

The Bad Stuff:

• Ike Davis was the only starter (aside Niese) who didn't get in on the Mets' 11-hit parade, going 0-5 and striking out a lousy four times.

Final Analysis:
Maybe it was Daniel Murphy continuing his All-Star worthy series, maybe it was Jonathon Niese's return to last year's form, or maybe it was a sudden victory after a rough week. Probably it was all these things. Whatever it was, this win felt good. I mean really good. Hey, everyone! Come to Wrigley Field and see how good the Mets look! If they really do play like this in the daytime, it's going to be a heck of a weekend.

MM

Game #11: Mets 4, Twins 2

(NYDailyNews.com)

When Justin Morneau's high fly ball in the 7th clanked off the right field foul pole, it knocked the wind out of New Yorkers watching for a slice of history. For the man on the mound, however, it wasn't more than a kink in his latest pitching masterpiece.

Matt Harvey flirted with a no-hitter for almost seven innings and the Mets' big bang in the 5th gave him his third win of the season, 4-2 over the Twins.

The Good Stuff:

• The future continues to be now for Matt Harvey, who for 6.2 innings was literally unhittable. A solo home run by the aforementioned Morneau ended his bid for history, but Harvey fought on through eight outstanding innings, allowing just one more hit, walking two and striking out six on 107 pitches.
• Harvey's effort was also a first for Mets fans: while the breakup of the no-hitter may have been disappointing, it was the first time we were not obligated to turn grudgingly and say, "Not today, boss." It's a good feeling. Thanks, Johan Santana.
• Still scoreless after four frames, Marlon Byrd broke the ice with a solo bomb off Scott Diamond to the second deck in left field to lead off the 5th. That blast opened the floodgates for a single, single, and double by Ike Davis (thrown out trying to stretch it into a dobule), Justin Turner, and Ruben Tejada. Collin Cowgill, Daniel Murphy, and David Wright followed with run-scoring singles each, and all of a sudden the visitors were up 4-0.
• It was all the offense they needed. Bobby Parnell gave up a run on a couple doubles but ultimately locked down Minnesota in the bottom of the 9th for his first save of the season.

The Bad Stuff:

• John Buck went hitless for the first time in recent memory, going 0-4.

Final Analysis:
Long story short: this Harvey guy's pretty good. We've got a lot to look forward to.

MM