K-Rod Derailed, Mets Lose 6-4

On a rainy day at Citi Field, Mike Pelfrey matched Craig Stammen but K-Rod couldn’t keep the Mets in the game, and they lost the rubber game to the Nationals 6-4

Game Notes

Mike Pelfrey went to the mound and delivered a decent performance, going 5 2/3 of an inning, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts. Pelfrey struck out 5 of the 6 banners he did on the day in the first 2 inning, including fanning the side in the 1st. Pelfrey gave up two RBI hits to Craig Stammen, the Nationals pitcher and that was crucial in his ability to get out of innings. He threw his pitches well and located good for the most part, with his walks being scattered and 2 of the walks going to Willie Harris. It was a bad day, and by all accounts the pull-home run by Bernadina was at least partially wind-aided because it got out in a hurry.

The bullpen was great yet again for the most part up until K-Rod. Hisanori Takahashi relieved Pelfrey and went 1/3 of an inning giving up a hit and striking out 1. Pedro Feliciano went an inning and gave up a hit and struck out one. Fernando Nieve made an appearance that lasted an inning, but he walked two. Nieve looks like he may be tiring or have worn his arm out working so much over the early season. K-Rod struck out one, but gave up the tie-breaking HR to Roger Bernadina.

The bats today were sporadic, although after giving up 2 runs in the second inning the Mets came back on an RBI single from Mike Pelfrey and a sacrifice fly from Angel Pagan. In the 5th the Mets scratched across two more on an Alex Cora single and a Jose Reyes double. The Mets could’ve blown the game wide open but Roger Bernadina made an amazing catch on a Jeff Francoeur shot to the warning track that would’ve scored 3 runners.

In depressing Mets news – Gary Matthews Jr. continued his futility with a strikeout in his pinch-hitting at-bat.

The Animal Chris Carter went up to pinch hit and flew out to right, lowering his average to a measly .500.

Frenchy is still slumping, and was absolutely robbed on a ball by Bernadina. If he weren’t such a gamer I’d be sure of a Chris Carter start sometime soon.

Game Ball

Mike Pelfrey – not because of his pitching effort, which some of it was just running into some bad luck for him – but because he managed to do something GMJ hasn’t done all year – drive in a run. Cheers

Up Next

The Mets will begin a road trip and will be traveling to Florida to face the Marlins and their ace Josh Johnson, who they hit hard on Opening Day. Johan Santana will head to the mound and hope to start where he left off. Game time is 7:10 PM.