The New York Mets concluded a three game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, beating Arizona 5-2. The Mets took two of three against the National League’s top team, continuing their winning ways in Arizona. The Mets are now 15-2 in their last 17 games at Chase Field.
Johan Santana took the mound for the Mets and he was opposed by pitcher Dan Haren. The Mets really needed a strong outing from their ace, and although it wasn’t his best showing, Santana really gutted it out and kept the Mets in the game. Santana threw 112 pitches in his six innings of work, giving up six hits but only one run, recording eight strikeouts; he did have four walks, two of them intentional and threw three wild pitches. He left with at 2-1 lead, but would not figure in the decision as Joe Smith gave up a run in the seventh.
In the third inning with one on and two out, Jose Reyes hit a line drive RBI single, and the Mets would take a 1-0 lead. David Wright lead off the fourth inning with a homerun that traveled well over 376 sign for the Mets second run of the game. With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth, it looked like the Diamondback’s would take the lead when the first hitter of the inning, Chris Burke bunted the ball to pitcher Pedro Feliciano, Feliciano field the ball making an errant throw to first, allowing Burke to advance. Instead of just taking second base on the error, Burke tired to advance to third and breaking one of the cardinal rules of baseball, was thrown out at third on an amazing throw from right fielder Ryan Church. Feliciano then gave up a single to pinch hitter Micha Owings (yes, the pitcher Micha Owings), however replays showed that Owings was actually out at first base. Willie Randolph came out to argue the call, although it might have been nice if Randolph actually argued with the umpire. At this point, the Mets would make a pitching change and Jorge Sosa would enter the game retiring both of the hitters he faced to end the inning.
The Mets bats were silent until the top of the ninth when Carlos Beltran led of the inning with a single to right. Moises Alou hit what looked to be a sure double play ball, but because of the way the Diamondback’s defense was playing, ended up a single and moved Beltran to second. The Mets would take the lead 3-2 when Beltran scored on a throwing error by Conner Jackson. Brian Schneider laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt, and with one out and runners on second and third, the Diamondbacks elected to intentionally walk Luis Castillo and go after pinch hitter Marlon Anderson; Anderson hit a bullet to right and another run scored. Jose Reyes came to bat with the bases loaded, swung at the first pitch, and hit a sacrifice fly to make the game 5-2. Billy Wagner would enter the game in the bottom or the ninth and on nine pitches, retired the side in order.
All in all I thought this was a much better game for the Mets. The players seemed to really play as a team today. The guys played hard and fought back to win. There was a desire and toughness to them that has been missing in many games this season. It seemed that in their two blow out losses the Mets had just given up, but I thought today with the game tied having given up the lead late, the guys really came together and fought back to win.
Taking two out of three against the Diamondback’s was a must because the Mets now move on to Los Angels to take on a hot Dodger team, who up until they lost to the Colorado Rockies yesterday, were riding an eight game winning streak. Oliver Perez will pitch for the Mets Monday night and has an opportunity to atone for his awful outing last time out against the Pirates. The Dodger will throw Chad Billingsley who is 1-4 on the season with a 5.20 era.
