The Mets finally snapped their four-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday night.
Oliver Perez made his long anticipated return to the mound, but he was as erratic as ever as he toiled through five innings while throwing 108 pitches. He allowed just two runs and was very lucky it wasn’t a lot more.
When Perez walked the first batter of the game on four pitches, I wondered how many Mets fans turned their televisions off right there and then?
Ollie walked seven batters, allowed four hits, and struck out two. I guess I should be thrilled that the Mets won, but honestly all I felt after the game was relief.
I don’t know what to make of Ollie’s performance because on any other day seven walks would usually translate to a loss, but I guess I should just shut up and be happy with the win. Bobby Ojeda thought it was good sign that Oliver Perez never imploded and that he was able to wiggle out of trouble a few times. I suppose that’s a good sign, but geez… seven walks?
Offensively, the Mets finally snapped their 23 inning scoreless streak when they scored a run in the second inning after Jeremy Reed doubled and scored on a Luis Castillo single to tie the game at 1-1. Woo freaking hoo…
In the third inning hell froze over as the Mets exploded for three runs!
After a Daniel Murphy doubled (he had two in the game), Wright snapped his 0-for-17 slump with a single to score Murphy and put the Mets up by a run. I swear I couldn’t remember the last time the Mets had a lead.
A walk, an error, and another single later (by Jeremy Reed), the Mets were up 4-1 and all of a sudden Mets fans everywhere collectively exhaled.
The bullpen did an okay job after relieving Perez of his duties. Bobby Parnell allowed three runners and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, but he looked more comfortable out there and composed. His slider was especially sharp and he used it to effectively setup his fastball.
Feliciano came in for an out, and Sean Green allowed a run in the eighth inning, but it was K-Rod in the ninth inning that really scared us out of our skins.
He was immediately greeted with a leadoff homerun by Manny Ramirez and suddenly the Mets lead had shrunk to just one run. Rodriguez then proceeds to walk Casey Blake on four pitches, and NONE of them were even close to being strikes. After a visit by Dan Warthen, K-Rod struck out Mark Loretta, but then Russell Martin lined a sharp single putting the tying and winning runs on base. (Could this really be happening???)
Luckily, Andre Ethier slapped a hard grounder right to Alex Cora who turned the game ending double play. Wow, the Mets won, but what in the world is up with K-Rod lately?
Well, the important thing is that we won. Unfortunately for us however, so did the Phillies, Marlins and Braves. The Mets gained no ground and still find themselves in 4th place, 4 1/2 games behind the Phillies. Tonight the Mets will send Livan Hernandez to the mound and he will be opposed by Randy Wolf.
One last thing… Daniel Murphy made an incredible play in the seventh inning.
When a Mark Loretta grounder took a wild bounce first base, a stumbling Murphy managed to grab the ball and make a blind, behind-the-back flip to Bobby Parnell who was covering first base. It was a great play and and both Loretta and Torre argued the out call.
Lets Go Mets!
(Video courtesy of MetsBlog and SNY)
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You know, when Murph made that miraculous play, I thought, “Maybe this will be the play that will symbolize the second half of 2009 for us!”
Basically, Perez pitched badly, but he faced down adversity–as you noted, Joe–and that really is a good sign. If the guy is healthier (mentally as well as physically), then maybe just maybe we’ll start to see the good or the best kind of Ollie that exists. He is going to have to give us genuinely quality starts from this point on if we have any hope of succeeding.
Once again, nice job by the pen, though certainly they never allow us to sit back and relax. I usually find myself screaming all sorts of expletives at the tv when K-Rod is on the mound till he records that final out, and my pulse finally starts slowing down. Sheesh!
No reason we cannot use this one measly win to start a little snowballing action. Seriously, a win tonight is possible and would be Jim-Flippin’-Dandy.
Let’s Go Mets!
This type of start was all we could hope for from Ollie, sort of. He gave us five innings and gave the team a chance to win. But I agree about the seven walks, he’s very lucky to escape the second inning after he walked the bases loaded.
Anyone who believes that Oliver Perez pitched well last night is ouit of their ever lovin minds! That was a horrendious effort!!! Last night was a loss disguised as a win.
My sentiments exactly.
Here, Stache, I wildly disagree. As a pitching performance it was subpar–no doubt at all. But we Mets fans need to reckon it as an OP performance. While seven walks is insane, the fact is he lasted five innings and did not, I repeat, did not, IMPLODE. This, dude, is why the Win “disguised” itself, as you so cynically put it. If that isn’t O.P. progress, then I don’t think you witnessed him starts for us in April and May. Think it about it, Man!
Actually, I feel that Ollie pitched better than expected, although I think it’s a tossup as to which Ollie actually showed up. I believed he would give up 5 runs in under 4 innings, but instead he gave up only 2 over 5. Great thanks for small favors. On the other hand, I thought he would walk 4, but he handed over 7. We got the W, but Ollie is just going to have to do better than this. Next start we get another look at which Ollie shows up. It can go either way.
What was up with the Murphy play? It looked to me that he could have made a conventional throw and got the ball there quicker. Nice he made the play, but really, what was he thinking? Does Jerry hve the balls to tell himm to cut the crap and just play the game?
If Ollie Perez isn’t the second coming coming of Sid Fernandez, I don’t know who is? Just like Sid, Ollie makes you squirm in your seat every start. Overall I was happy with Ollie’s outing. Also great job by Darling last pointing out Ollie’s new bend in his rotation.
The walks were crazy but he kept us in game. It didn’t cost us the game but what was church thinking diving for a ball that should of been a single and maybe that run doesn’t score and give us a 3 run cushion in 9th? With the way k rod has pitched lately that run could of been big, IMO. Parnell’s slider or sinker, looked really sharp last nite and I hope this is a turning point for him. Great win. Lets Go Mets!
Church made three such diving catches in the last 4 games, he just happened to miss this particular one. But the other three he caught were singles or doubles that he saved.
Talking about “the way KROD has pitched lately” I think a HUGE part of that roughness has to do with not using him enough. He’s not the type of pitcher that can sit for 5 days. In essense, we have to be winning more games going into the ninth – use him more and he’ll go back to being more dominate……….
Signed,
Captain Obvious!!!
lol
That game last night was vintage Mets. You had a pitcher that was all over the place on the strike zone, which also made him very difficult to hit. You had Murph make what is going to be Defensive Play of the Year. More so than that Granderson catch because we have seen those, we never saw anything like what happened last night.
We had the other team botching a play for us and they took advantage. Wright came through. Castillo gets an infield single. What was going on?! Yes, I think the advice Don Mattingly, yes, the visiting team, was on the money. Play station to station. Get some decent pitching and go to town.
Although the bullpen gave up 2 runs, they have been overworked by the poor pitching and for the most part did fine. Actually, Green really didn’t deserve that earned run, but we can forgive Church considering he has made that type of play most of the time.
Just a strange, but well-played game? Not sure. A win is a win.