Game #64: Mets 4, Cubs 3

Um...did that just happen?

(NYDailyNews.com)

After getting nothing going for eight innings, the Amazin's woke up with a vengeance in the 9th against Carlos Marmol, as Kirk Nieuwenhuis's walk-off three-run home run propelled the Mets to a stunning, blink-of-an-eye 4-3 comeback win over the Cubs.

The Good Stuff:

• A 3-0 loss was a given as the game headed into the bottom of the 9th inning. The Mets, after all, had only managed three hits the entire afternoon against Matt Garza and company. But Chicago was about to do something that would give New York their best option: they went with embattled closer Carlos Marmol to sing a lullaby to the sleepwalking hosts. What the hosts got was the most effective alarm clock in recorded human history.
• It started innocently enough with a 1-1 fastball to ex-Cub Marlon Byrd. That fastball turned into a long, long, long home run that landed well into the second deck of left field. The Mets were in business, and no one knew it better than Cubs fans who have seen Marmol implode over and over and over again.
• After Lucas Duda drew a full-count walk, John Buck took a 2-2 fastball and lined it into right field to put two runners on.
• Omar Quintanilla executed the perfect sac bunt to move both runners into scoring position, allowing the home team to play for the tie and the chance to win it in extras.
• They wouldn't need extras: Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who need a base hit yesterday just to get on the Interstate, took Marmol's 1-0 fastball and sent a rocket off the Pepsi Porch in right field.
• Nieuwenhuis rounded the bases after his walk-off heroics as Marmol dejectedly descended into the freshly-branded losers' dugout. He and the rest of his teammates an ecstatic Justin Turner take not just whipped cream but a full-fledged apple pie to Kirk's face. What any of the 30,000+ in attendance at Citi field wouldn't give for a taste of that Father's Day treat.
• Meanwhile, Jeremy Hefner was taken off the hook for what would have been yet another tough loss, as he gave up three runs (one earned) on six hits in five innings, walking one and striking out five on 87 pitches.
• David Wright and Lucas Duda each had doubles to the right field corner during failed rallies in earlier frames.

The Bad Stuff:

• Nieuwenhuis's blast became the picture of the game, saving the Mets from a much more embarrassing one in the top of the 5th: down 1-0 with two on and two out, David Wright took a hard groundball from Alfonso Soriano, double clutched his throw, and watched it sail over Daniel Murphy's head at first. The Cubs' second run came around to score, thanks in part to a throw from Murphy that sailed past John Buck at the plate. A third run came in on another errant throw, this time one from Omar Quintanilla that also sailed past Buck.
• On a play straight from Angels in the Outfield, the Mets seemed to signify their entire 2013 season. Now that we won the game, we can fortunately laugh about it.

Final Analysis:
Even with Carlos Marmol on the mound I didn't think the Mets could pull that off. Even after Byrd's home run I figured, "Well at least we weren't shut out." But that's the nature of baseball: a loss can turn into a win in the blink of an eye. Sure, New York hasn't done much winning in the last few weeks, but we'll remember this one for the rest of the season. Kirk Nieuwenhuis's heroics have enough fuel will carry us through another few weeks of losing. We're Mets fans. We know how to make due.

MM

(NYDailyNews.com)

Game #63: Cubs 5, Mets 2

Behold a game recap that took almost as long to write as the game itself.

Scott Rice and Brandon Lyon imploded in the 8th inning to allow the Cubs three insurance runs as the Mets offense failed to find traction in an agonizingly slow 5-2 loss.

The Bad Stuff:

• With a more capable offense, a 2-1 deficit may have been surmountable. But 5-1? No chance, and that's what Scott Rice and Brandon Lyon combined to create in an 8th inning that put Chicago up for good.
• After Jordany Valdespin drove in a run in the bottom of the 8th to put two runners on, New York had their best chance to get back into the game with their only two major-league hitters. But Daniel Murphy could only muster a productive groundout, and David Wright chased a slider in the dirt to doom the team's final rally.

The Good Stuff:

• Jonathon Niese was stuck with the loss after allowing two runs in 5.2 innings, including six hits, four walks, and five strikeouts.
• Murphy and Wright did combine for the team's first run, knocking back-to-back doubles in the 4th inning.

Final Analysis:
The least they could do at this point is get the game over with in less than three hours and thirty-two ticking minutes.

MM

Game #62: Cubs 6, Mets 3

Not even a Foreigner concert would have made it worth it tonight. (Although let's be honest, could they have done any better in their prime?)

Shaun Marcum was hit hard and guys not named David Wright and Daniel Murphy were unable to hit as the Mets dropped the series opener to the Cubs 6-3.

The Bad Stuff:

• Hard-luck Shaun Marcum has yet to win a game in 2013. The winlessness itself isn't anything he could control, but tonight at least he definitely deserved the L. Marcum surrendered six runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings, walking one and striking out four on 82 pitches en route to an 0-8 record.
• New York as a whole hit decently with RISP (3-10), but leaving eight men on base counterbalanced the clutch hitting. The unclutch moments of the night belong to Lucas Duda, Juan Lagares, Shaun Marcum, and Marlon Byrd, who each failed to produce with two runners on in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings.

The Good Stuff:

• David Wright continues to shine at the plate as he accomplished the rare feat of back-to-back three-hit, no run games. His 3-3 night at the plate brings his average back up to a very respectable .297.
• Daniel Murphy was moved back to the two-slot for the night and responded by going 2-5 with a run and two RBIs.
• Juan Lagares and Collin Cowgill (remember him?) each had extra-base hits: Lagares scored in the 3rd after a triple and Cowgill came in following a 7th-inning double.

Final Analysis:
As if it weren't obvious already, the five hits out of nine tonight should tell you that David Wright and Daniel Murphy carry this team offensively. Take them away and Mets fans would be lucky to see their nightly lineup scrape together one run, let alone three. It's a good thing starting pitching is being taken care of through the farm system (see you on Tuesday, Zack Wheeler, and hopefully you soon, Rafael Montero) because the answers to these Amazin' offensive woes are not going to come internally.

MM

Game #41: Mets 4, Cubs 3

In today's contest of the hapless, it wasn't one team giving it to the other. This time, the team from New York took it by force.

(NYDailyNews.com)

Daniel Murphy's solo shot in the 8th provided the go-ahead run, and Bobby Parnell topped off four perfect innings from the bullpen, as the Mets waltzed out of Wrigleyville with a 4-3 win over the Cubs.

The Good Stuff:

• David Wright got the scoring going in the top of the 6th with an RBI single.
• Down 3-1 in the 7th, Ruben Tejada dropped a two-out Texas-League base hit to bring up Juan Lagares, who pounded his first big-league home run to the back row of bleachers.
• Lagares also had himself a double in the top of the 3rd; the hits on the day were his second and third XBHs of his career, and the home run gave him his first two RBIs.
• In the next inning, newly-installed leadoff hitter Daniel Murphy overcame an 0-3 start and fired a rocket to right center to put the Mets on top. It was Murph's fourth home run in his last four games at the National League's Grand Old Lady.
• Murphy's laser stood up for Scott Rice, who had half of the Mets' bullpen's four innings of perfect relief. Greg Burke bailed out Dillon Gee by sitting the Cubs down 1-2-3 in the 6th, then Rice took Chicago six up, six down in the 7th and 8th.
• Bobby Parnell put the nail in the coffin with a blistering 9th, sending up the home team's "L" flag with his third save of the road trip.

The Bad Stuff:

• Dillon Gee continued to be a five-inning starter, allowing three runs on eight hits and not getting a single out in the 6th.

Final Analysis:
What's this - a hot streak for our Mets? Since dropping six in a row, the Amazin's have pulled off three wins in their past four games. Murphy and Wright continue their respective tears, and Bobby Parnell finally seems comfortable in the closer role. Will this good fortune last? That remains to be seen, but for now at least, a handful of pieces are falling into place.

Another piece falling into place: another ace is approaching the big ball club, as Rafael Montero was just promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas. Imagine, if you will, a near-future rotation consisting of Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Rafael Montero, Noah Syndergaard, and Jonathon Niese. Scary good.

MM

Game #40: Cubs 8, Mets 2

In matches up hapless vs. hapless, it often becomes a sort of contest of generosity: each team is insistent on the other taking their win. I'm a Purdue Boilermaker football fan, so I speak from experience: the Mets and Cubs are playing a game of "you win," "no you win," "no I insist, you win." Today, the Cubs insisted harder. Boy did they ever.

Jeremy Hefner didn't get to the 5th and the Mets couldn't figure out Scott Feldman, falling to the Cubs 8-2.

The Bad Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• After a string of good starts, Jeremy Hefner ran into big trouble in the 4th inning, giving up four runs in what would turn out to be his last trip to the mound on the day.
• The bullpen didn't fare much better, as Robert Carson gave up a solo home run to Anthony Rizzo and Collin McHugh, fresh up from Las Vegas, surrendered three runs in his two innings of relief.
• Ike Davis went 0-4 in the cleanup slot, the only starter aside from Ruben Tejada not to get a hit.
• The rest of the team didn't fare better in clutch situations, going 0-5 with RISP and stranding seven, including runners on second and third in each of the first two innings.

The Good Stuff:

• Rick Ankiel saved New York from being shut out, blasting a two-run homer in the top of the 9th off Hector Rendon.
• Daniel Murphy had two more hits to poke his average back over .300.

Final Analysis:
Easily believable as that the Mets haven't won any of Jeremy Hefner's starts this season. Harder to stomach is that, even at 0-5 with an ERA set at an even 5.00, Hefner is nevertheless one of New York's better starting pitchers in 2013. So for those of you calling for his head, who do you suggest will replace him in the rotation? Collin McHugh is just as ineffective as he was last year. Jeurys Familia won't do. Zack Wheeler is just one man. Suffice it to say, Jeremy Hefner is here to stay.

Ike Davis, on the other hand, is closer to losing his job than ever before. Hard as it is to believe, he's actually on a worse pace than he was last year. Through 40 games in 2012, he hit .160 with five home runs; through 40 games this season, he's hitting .156 with four home runs. Considering the team is already out looking for his replacement (I'd me more apt to move Lucas Duda back to his natural position), it's fair to expect that Ike Davis will take a Memorial Day trip to Las Vegas...and never return.

MM

Game #39: Mets 3, Cubs 2

And by his ninth start of the season, Matt Harvey figured out that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

(NYDailyNews.com)

Harvey himself drove in the go-ahead run in the 7th to make another great start stand up as the Mets knocked off the Cubs in the afternoon series opener, 3-2.

The Good Stuff:

• After getting the first out in the bottom of the 1st, Matt Harvey let Chicago score twice on a single, double, and another single. He would give up just two more hits the rest of his 7.1 innings of work, walking no one and striking out six on 106 pitches.
• Yet New York failed to do more than tie the game when Harvey came to bat with Rick Ankiel on second and two out in the top of the 7th, and it looked like the young ace's fifth straight great start would go once again unfulfilled. Except Harvey helped his own cause with a groundball single through the hole in the left side, scoring Ankiel and finally putting himself in position to pick up that elusive fifth W.
• But fate was looking unkind once again when Scott Rice was brought on with a runner on second and one out in the 8th inning. David DeJesus hit a single to right field, and Darwin Barney was coming around to score the tying run and seal another no-decision. Except Marlon Byrd through a strike from the outfield to nail Barney by a mile at the plate. Not even Mr. Harvey himself could have done it better.
• After that, Rice got Starlin Castro to ground out and end the inning, and Bobby Parnell pitched a 1-2-3 9th for the save.
• David Wright and Daniel Murphy provided the rest of the offensive spark for the Mets, as Wright hit a bomb that barely missed clearing Waveland Avenue in the 1st (one of his three hits) and Murphy defied the in-blowing breeze with an opposite-field liner that just cleared the ivy-covered brick walls.

The Bad Stuff:

• Wrigley Field is anciently old, so Gary and Keith were probably crammed into the press box pretty uncomfortably. At least Keith's lip won't tickle anymore.

Final Analysis:
In his appearance at the Grand Old Lady of the National League, Matt Harvey found out that this was his kind of town, Chicago is. His ERA went up again after this start, if you can believe it, increasing to 1.55 from 1.44. He keeps this up and the Mets have a legitimate chance of getting to see their boy start on the mound at their All-Star Game. And if David Wright and Daniel Murphy keep up their hot streaks, Harv could be pitching with two of his teammates right behind him in the infield.

As for the New York ball club, they have now won back-to-back games for the first time since visiting Minneapolis last month. Just the thing a hapless team needs to get their hap back: a team with even less hap. Hopefully the Chicago Cubs will continue their line of hap-credit tomorrow afternoon.

MM