Game #118: Dodgers 5, Mets 4 (12)

The trouble started when MetsBlog accidentally posted a recap of the Mets' "4-2 victory over the Dodgers." You can figure out the rest.

Andre Ethier's two-run homer off LaTroy Hawkins tied it in the 9th, and back-to-back doubles by Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez off Pedro Feliciano in the 12th handed the Dodgers the 5-4 victory and a sweep over the Mets.

The Bad Stuff:

• Mark Ellis led the 9th off with a single, then Jerry Hairston's comebacker clipped Hawkins on the mound as he got the man at first. Ethier's shot to left field assured Mets fans of another late night, and the team put up scant offense in extras before Puig's and Gonzalez's one-two punch in the 12th.
• The Mets hit 2-8 with RISP and stranded 11 men on base.

The Good Stuff:

• Dillon Gee was solid once again, going six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out four.
• Marlon Byrd was a triple away from the cycle, going 3-6 with a three-run homer in the 3rd.
• Andrew Brown had three hits to fill in for a resting Eric Young.

Final Analysis:
I have noticed that as rough the season has seemed, New York has rarely been swept. In this case, they were swept by a team on the greatest 48-game single-season stretch in National League history. What are you gonna do?

The Padres won't be nearly as tough this weekend; at least there's that to look forward to.

MM

Game #117: Dodgers 4, Mets 2

When the Mets don't get good starting pitching, they struggle to win ballgames. When they don't get good starting pitching out of Matt Harvey...you can fill in the rest.

Harvey struggled through every inning and got tagged for four runs as the Dodgers beat the Mets 4-2 for the second consecutive night.

The Bad Stuff:

• Under the limelight of Hollywood, Matt Harvey chose to show his vulnerable side. While that translates well for Academy Awards, it doesn't work at all on the baseball diamond. His final line stood at six innings of four-run, eight-hit, two-walk ball, and he struck out a season-low three LA batters. Harvey got lucky even to allow just four runs; he needed double plays to get out of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings.
• Considering how much run support Harvey usually gets during his starts, it should surprise no one that the New York offense was ineffective against the underrated Hyun-jin Ryu. They hit just 1-6 with RISP and stranded six, only managing a solo home run and four more hits off Ryu in seven innings.

The Good Stuff:

• The solo home run came off the bat of Juan Lagares, who took Ryu's fourth pitch of the game and deposited over the short wall in left for his second homer in four games.
• John Buck's RBI single with two outs in the 9th assured the Mets of a crooked game number and a sequel to Monday night's lackluster loss.

Final Analysis:
Matt Harvey is going to struggle; no one is immortal. Even Tom Terrific had rough outings. More offense in the future will mask bad outings by our ace, but until then, he needs to be just about perfect every night or else it will show. That's a lot of pressure for a guy whose major league career is barely a year old. As long as most of the time we see the excellent Harvey we've come to know and love, I'm okay with nights like this, disappointing as they may be.

Part of this loss you can put on the Mets struggles, but part of it you just have to acknowledge as facing a buzz-saw of a team on one of the hottest hot streaks of all time. The Los Angeles Dodgers broke into new ionospheric heights with last night's W: it was their 39th in their last 47 games. The 39-8 streak, including a 22-3 clip since the All-Star Break, is not only the best in the illustrious history of the Brooklyn/LA franchise, but the best 47-game run of any National League team since the legendary 1951 New York Giants, who as everyone remembers closed out the season 37-7 and topped Brooklyn two-games-to-one in the NL playoff. This is some historic stuff, and the Mets are just a footnote in what has been a summer for the ages at Chavez Ravine.

The only way the Dodgers can top this run is by taking it to their first World Series title in 25 years. Will they be able to peak again after reaching this summit? It is known but to God, but half of all Mets fans will be able to rest easy knowing that their ancestors are dancing through the afterlife at the sight of their old team's success (and the other half, like my grandpa, are wondering what in the world has happened to the Giants).

MM

Game #116: Dodgers 4, Mets 2

Ask even the least knowledgeable baseball fan and they will tell you, "The Mets got messed around last night."

Shaky defense in the 6th led to three Dodgers runs and the Mets missed an opportunity in the 7th thanks to blown calls at the plate, falling in the series opener at Dodger Stadium 4-2.

The Bad Stuff:

• Up 2-0 in the 6th, Daniel Murphy missed two key plays at second base, turning what could have been two-out, nobody-on into two infield singles. Adrian Gonzalez followed up with a single that scored lead runner Carl Crawford, and Mark Ellis came home on a rare throwing error by Juan Lagares. Gonzalez went to third on the error and subsequently came home on Yasiel Puig's sac fly to make it 3-2.
• New York had a prime opportunity to strike back in the 7th, loading the bases with one out, at which point Juan Lagares may have been the first player in baseball history to strike out on ball five (can we get a check on that, Elias?): first, a less-than-half-swing on a 2-0 sinker was ruled a swing and a strike by first place umpire Jeff Kellogg; second, a 3-2 sinker that appeared to be a foot outside the strike zone was called strike three by home plate ump Chad Fairchild, robbing Lagares of the RBI walk and keeping the Mets behind. Daniel Murphy then sent a rocket out to right that Puig was able to chase down, and what should have been a 4-3 Mets lead was still a 3-2 deficit.
• Nick Punto's home run off Carlos Torres in the bottom of the 7th put a cushion in between LA and its guests, and New York failed to capitalize once again in the 8th, stranding two more of its nine men left on throughout the game. They also hit 3-10 with RISP.

The Good Stuff:

• Jenrry Mejia took the hard-luck loss after going six strong innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits, walking no one and striking out four. If not for the collapse of his defense, he may have thrown into the 8th, as he needed only 85 pitches to get through six.
• John Buck and Omar Quintanilla each had RBI singles in the top of the 2nd as New York got to ex-Marlin Ricky Nolasco early.
• Buck, Mr. Q, Eric Young, and Marlon Byrd each finished with two hits, although Byrd's 3rd-inning double was the only XBH for the Mets all night.

Final Analysis:
That wasn't great. That was far from great, in fact: it was bad. Never mind the questionable calls, the Mets should have had enough runs on the board by then to counterbalance. They should have had enough defense to keep the Dodgers off the board through the 6th. But shoulda, coulda, woulda doesn't cut it in the major leagues. Very disappointing loss.

MM

Game #20: Dodgers 3, Mets 2

Well, the Mets got themselves another last-inning home run. It just needed to be at the end, not the beginning.

Ike Davis's solo home run in the 9th wasn't enough as the Mets squandered Jeremy Hefner's best start of the season to drop the game, and the series, to the Dodgers, 3-2.

The Bad Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• Tied 1-1 in the 9th, Scott Rice came on for a full inning of relief and proceeded to give up a leadoff double to Nick Punto. Adrian Gonzalez's groundout advanced Punto to third, and Rice walked Matt Kemp intentionally to get to the favorable matchup in Andre Ethier. Favor wasn't kind: Ethier singled in the go-ahead run, then after Bobby Parnell came on to relieve Rice, Juan Uribe hit a single up the middle to make it 3-1.
• The New Yorkers collectively were far from clutch, as they went 0-5 with RISP and stranded seven. The key inning was the 6th, when the Mets got the first two men on and could only bring one home; the disappointment was punctuated with Ike Davis's strikeout with runners on second and third to end the threat.

The Good Stuff:

• Jeremy Hefner may have played himself out of going the way of waiver-wire Aaron Laffey, allowing a single run on three hits in seven innings, walking three and striking out four on 93 pitches.
• David Wright picked up his 17th RBI of the season with a sac fly in the 6th to tie the game at 1-1.
• Davis's solo home run to lead off the 9th, his fourth of the season, gave the game its final 3-2 margin.

Final Analysis:
The New York bats, so hot upon their return home from the Rocky Mountains to thaw, cooled off again during this series; aside from Jordany Valdespin's grand slam in last night's 10th inning the Mets scored seven runs between 27 innings against L.A.'s pitching.

Great to see Hefner pitching so well this afternoon. He may not be much of a starter but every so often he turns in a gem.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for Ike Davis, who couldn't get the job done in the 6th but whose last at-bat was particularly memorable. Any time something good happens for Ike you want to think maybe, just maybe, this is when he gets it going. And that's all I can really say right now. We'll see what he does tomorrow against the fourth-place Philadelphia Phillies.

MM

Game #19: Mets 7, Dodgers 3 (10)

On a night when Matt Harvey proved to be mortal, it was another New York young gun that got his own shot at a little immortality.

Jordany Valdespin's walk-off grand slam capped a thrilling comeback for the Mets, who battled back to beat the Dodgers 7-3.

The Good Stuff:

• It all started with a Carl Crawford play (or lack thereof) in the 9th. Down 3-2, Mike Baxter led off with a line drive to left that Crawford bobbled in a similar manner to his drop at the end of the 2011 Red Sox collapse. Baxter was on with a double and was bunted over to third by Ruben Tejada. After Daniel Murphy was the victim of a spectacular foul catch by Jerry Hairston, Jr. at third, David Wright sent a rope into right center on the first pitch he saw from L.A. closer Brandon League. Wright was caught stealing second to end the inning, but the Mets had new life going into extras.

(NYDailyNews.com)

• After Bobby Parnell got through the top of the 10th, John Buck led off the bottom with slump-busting single to center. After Josh Wall walked Ike Davis on four pitches, Marlon Byrd bunted both runners into scoring position. As Lucas Duda was walked intentionally, Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly caused an extended delay when he sent out a rare five-man infield (center field moves in right behind second base, left and right fielders become left-center and right-center). With Jordany Valdespin coming up, SNY's Keith Hernandez fretted over how to score this infield. He wouldn't need to: 'Spin took a 2-1 fastball and sent a bomb to right field. The only question was whether New York would win by one run or four, but as it landed in the netting over the former Mo-Zone, Jordany had the Mets' first walk-off grand slam since Kevin McReynolds did it on June 25, 1991 (Robin Ventura, of course, never made it to second).
• As Kevin Burkhardt interview the triumphant #1, it was not Justin Turner but rally-starter John Buck who came out to give him the pie-in-the-face. Maybe "give" is too gentle a word, because Buck could have broke Jordany's nose with the force he put behind that pie. It was so hard and so fast that a majority of the whipped cream missed Valdespin. Buck has done it all for the Mets in April, but some practice work with JT might help the next time a pie must be delivered.
• As for the rest of the game, Matt Harvey got the scoring going for his team in the bottom of the 5th, leading off with a wallbanging double off Ted Lilly. Tejada's ensuing groundball skipped just over first base, plating Harvey and knotting the game at one run apiece.
• Justin Turner's pinch-hit sac fly brought the Mets within one, 3-2, in the bottom of the 6th.
• LaTroy Hawkins, Scott Rice, Scott Atchison, and Bobby Parnell combined for four hitless innings in relief of Harvey.

 The Bad Stuff:

• Matt Harvey still walked away from this game with a quality start, but compared to the superhuman run he had during his first four starts, this one qualifies as Bad Stuff. Harvey was tagged for three runs on four hits in six innings, walking one and striking out seven on 90 pitches. After giving up his first 1st-inning run and hits, he settled down until the 6th, when he walked Adrian Gonzalez with two outs. Matt Kemp then snuck his first home run of the season barely over the right field corner wall to make it 3-1.
• In his first major-league start (his first hit was last night), center fielder Juan Lagares went 0-2 with a walk, the only New York starter without at least one of the team's 11 hits.

Final Analysis:
Even with Matt Harvey, they can't all be record-smashing starts. But he still pitched very well in his first "tough" outing, and his teammates were able to bail him out at the last minute.

Terry Collins has talked about Jordany Valdespin in more of a bench role than as a starter. Um...get that man some starts!! Valdespin is one of the most exciting players on the team, the sparkplug that fills the gap Jose Reyes left. If this really is a lost season, why not give this young man the chance to see what he can do leading off and playing center field? Aside from David Wright, Valdespin has the best potential of anyone on this team to produce Amazin' moments. Tonight was an Amazin' moment, and I hope we see more from the 'Spin as the games roll by.

MM

Game #18: Dodgers 7, Mets 2

After their starter went down much too early, it was only a matter of times before the bullpen started caving in on itself.

The implosion started in the 7th inning, as the beleaguered Mets relief staff gave up five runs over two innings to allow Mark Ellis and the Dodgers a 7-2 series-opening victory.

The Bad Stuff:

(NYDailyNews.com)

• This ballgame was trouble right from the start, as Jonathon Niese walked the bases loaded in the 2nd inning. The benefit of a double play allowed him to escape with just one run against, but Niese would be out of the game in the next frame after Mark Ellis's line drive ricocheted off his right leg. X-rays came back negative, revealing only a bruise, so things seem to be fine there (for now...).
• Six innings would prove to be too much heavy lifting for the worst bullpen in the National League.
• Newly-promoted lefty Robert Carson gave up the tying home run to Ellis in the 5th.
• Ellis struck again in the 7th, this time against Brandon Lyon, lacing a two-out homer of the three-run variety over the sloped corner of the left field wall to make it 5-2.
• Another Ellis, A.J. Ellis, brought the nail in the coffin in the 8th with a two-run double to provide the final margin.

The Good Stuff:

• New York got two runs off Clayton Kershaw in the bottom of the 3rd. L.A.'s ace temporarily unraveled, starting with a two-out walk to Carson, who as a relief pitcher was making his first-career MLB at-bat (his OBP as of now stands at an impressive 1.000). After Ruben Tejada fought for a signature full count walk, Daniel Murphy pounced on a hanging slider for an RBI single up the middle. David Wright followed with a line drive single of his own to score the then-go-ahead run.
• Tejada and Murphy both had Web Gems in the field, with Ruben soaring high to snag a Jerry Hairston line drive in the 3rd (#1 on ESPN's segment) and Daniel making a nice jump throw to rob A.J. Ellis of a base hit in the 4th (#4 on ESPN's segment).

Final Analysis:
Well, the bullpen sucks (5.52 ERA collectively), but we knew that already.

Initial news is good for Jonathon Niese, but knowing the state of the Mets medical staff, any sort of misdiagnosis is not out of the question. If you'll recall, it was just a knee bruise for Ike Davis as well.

Remember two years ago when we couldn't put Daniel Murphy anywhere in the field? Not so much anymore. It was just a matter of finding a place for Murph and making him stick to it, and after a full year of work at second base, he not only looks serviceable, he is exceeding expectations as a fielder. Now that he has a glove to match his fantastic bat, it all but guarantees him a place in the Mets' future, and maybe even an All-Star appearance this season.

The boys had a rough go of it tonight, but the beauty of baseball is that there's always another game. And the next one is the latest installment of The Matt Harvey Show. Whoa baby.

MM