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 #110: Mets 3, Rockies 2

What would it take for New York to beat the Colorado Rockies? Try an avalanche of hustle from an ex-Rocky.

(NYDailyNews.com)

Eric Young saved the game with a spectacular catch in the 6th then scored the winning run from second on an infield single in the 8th as the Mets knocked off the visiting Rockies 3-2.

The Good Stuff:

• It wasn't just Marlon Byrd flying high tonight (although he had an excellent catch himself in the 8th).
• Juan Lagares knocked home two runs in the 1st on his fourth triple of the year and had his share of great defense out in center.
• The star of the game though was Eric Young, who was playing his first game against his old Colorado teammates. The Rockies tied it at 2-2 in the 6th and loaded the bases with two outs, but Todd Helton's would-be bloop single was snuffed out by a diving catch.
• EY's heroics continued in the 8th inning as he led off with a single. Daniel Murphy and Byrd each flew out, but Young tagged and advanced to second on Byrd's flyout, forcing Wilton Lopez to intentionally walk Ike Davis (more on him later). That brought up Lagares, who hit a slow nubber to second base and beat the throw for an infield single. Young, never stopping, raced around third, slid into the plate, and came up bounding like a jackalope, triumphant with the go-ahead run.
• Ike Davis continued his post-ASB resurgence, smashing two doubles and drawing two walks in four plate appearances. But his biggest moment came in the top of the 9th and capped off this Amazin' Aerial Night. LaTroy Hawkins got the first two batters of the inning to pop up, but back-to-back singles by Nolan Arendo and DJ LeMahieu put runners on the corners. That brought up Yorvit Torrealba, who smashed a line drive just foul down the first base line that Ike parlayed into a game-saving catch, putting it in the books for the home team.
• Davis, by the way, is hitting .346 and getting on base at a whopping .528 clip in the past 10 games.
• Jenrry Mejia didn't factor in the decision but had himself another solid outing, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks in 5.1 innings, striking out seven on 96 pitches.
• Carlos Torres and Scott Atchison combined for 2.2 scoreless innings in relief with Atchison picking up the W. Hawkins, of course, struggled in the 9th but picked up his first save with the Mets and just his second since 2010.

The Bad Stuff:

• Wilmer Flores received a big-league debut as a 22nd birthday present but had a rough go of it, batting 0-4 and committing a near-costly error at third base in the 6th. He'll get better.

Final Analysis:
Colorado Rockies fans were sad to see Eric Young go in June, and New York Mets fans are quickly falling for him the same way those in Denver did. Since he arrived, EY has provided a spark that, if you exclude the time we thought Jordany Valdespin would provide it (turned out to be the wrong kind of spark), the team hasn't seen since Jose Reyes's time. But Gary, Ron, and Keith have noticed it, and I have as well: Mookie Wilson lives, and his name is Eric Young, Jr. I hope this guy calls Citi Field home for a long time.

MM