19
2012
Santastic Once Again: Second Straight Shutout Win For The Mets, 5-0 Over The O’s
An article by 
It is becoming increasingly difficult to follow R.A. Dickey – but Santana plays the part well in a 5-0 blanking of the Orioles.
Summary
Baltimore really caught us on a bad time, did they not? The team fired on all cylinders tonight – starting pitching, relief pitching, offense, defense, and a little confidence. Makes you wonder, does it not?
Johan started tonight and bounced back nicely for six shutout innings – 4 hits, 2 walks, and 5 k’s round out the line for our co-ace. I almost forgot this guy was coming back from a recent surgery. Johan and Dickey could be one of the more dangerous combos at the top of a rotation in baseball. Parnell, Batista, and Rauch combined for a scoreless final three innings, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 2. Wieters had 2 2Bs off Santana on the evening, but it did not amount to much, as the Orioles were held 0-9 with RISP.
Biggest blow for the Mets on offense (literally) goes to a Lucas Duda 2-run HR in the sixth, which put the Mets ahead 3-0. It barely cleared that new fence, but it was well-struck. Murphy got the Mets on the board with an RBI groundout in the fourth – and luckily, it would be all they needed. Valdespin gets some props for driving in 2 with 2 out. He and Duda had 2 hits on the day.
Hero Of The Game
Santana – I have said it before, this team plays with a different aura when he pitches well.
Notes
Seriously, RA Dickey. His last six starts: 0.18 ERA or something like that. Crazy.
Santana improves to 5 – 3 with a 3.00 ERA and Parnell picks up hold number 13.
I am being Captain Obvious here, but we have back to back shutouts. (I said this before! It must be a good season.)
…Man, it feels good to be a Mets fan lately.
On Deck
Well, the Mets.com site has failed me and is listing Johan Santana to start tomorrow again. Silly Wilpons, only Dickey or CJ Wilson can start on back-to-back days. I assume Gee or Niese will be tossed out there tomorrow to counter Brian Matusz in the series finale before the Evil Empire rolls into Queens.(Forgive me, I do not have the rotation order memorized. I would logically go Dickey-Santana-Niese-Gee-Hef but I am not sure if that is our order.) 7:10, dudes.
About the Author: Satish Ram
I am a Senior Writer and Editor here at MetsMerized - where I specialize in Minor League coverage. I have been on the staff since 2007 and I am currently in my third semester of college in New York City. You can find me at www.facebook.com/SatishRam or @SilverHeatMMO. Feel free to message me - I love talking about the Mets or baseball overall with anybody.
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It was a nice rebound game by Santana after 2 less than stellar starts.
Nice job Santana and the pen to keep the shutout in order. Props to Duda on the 2 run jack and Spin with the ins runs late in the game. I’d say Spin has earned more time in LF vs righties and a platoon with Hairston vs lefties.
BTW I know Ike’s hitting streak ended but if you saw his approach in his 2nd at bat I believe when he drew the walk you have to feel good that he is on the right track as far as seeing the ball better and the hits should come.
Also Wright hit 2 shots but had nothing to show for it. It happens. The big thing is we won and someone else picked those guys up tonight.
Good win now let’s go for the sweep.
LGM!
Valdespin has to play everyday starting NOW. No reason for him not to play just put him at 2B now and deal with everything else however they choose.
Me personally I would keep Valdespin in RF for now and let Murphy keep playing 2B.
I would rather see Murphy bat everyday than Hairston.
Oh…and Ike Davis is back.
Regardless if he didn’t have a hit tonight his ABs are better, his body language is better. Some clowns have to learn that everything is not linear. He is the Mets first baseman now and of the future. He’ll be fine.
Davis definitely looks better in the box.
Yes, even Keith Hernandez pointed out that base hits were not important as was how Ike was getting his eye and mechanics back together. He likes what he is seeing and this is what matters the most.
Fences lowered and brought in has really been the tenth man for this team. We saw it today with Duda, we saw it yesterday with Davis and we see it in Wright knowing he can take his natural swing once more.
One thing that has me nervous is the condition of Jason Bay. In this case, it might not be that no news is good news. Let him be well.
Les not forget about Duda the guy is a stud and is lookin like 30 HR and 100 RBI season for him and is rlly the only real power guy in the lineup. And this is only his second year! I am really excited about his capabilities
LGM!
Hairston should not be playing LF against RH cause his stats, life time stats against RH, show that he is over matched, if not he would be a regular with his power.
Spin can play LF for now, showing his versatility while Murph can play 2B, get his bat going and when it comes time to make a decision on Spin, if he gets his avg up then Murph can be trade bait at deadline for BP help which is big need right nor or RH power bat to balance lineup.
What I liked about Ike’s at bat’s were that a couple of times he was 0-2 and worked it back to 3-2, though he did not get a hit he was working count and trying to hit to LF which means his approach at plate is where it should be and he will be the Ike of old.
My only worry with No Han is that he needs to go at least 7 innings for this team, so as not to expose BP a lot and he needs to avoid the 3-2 counts he has been in lately but No Han is the man and I know he will be the awesome 1-2 punch this team needs to avoid long losing streaks.
Duda continues, quietly, to impress and looks to be on way to 100 RBI season.
Someone needs to wk with Cap Kirk about his early at bats, he needs to at least make contact cause last 4 games, starting gm with K is not good.
I guess we have found our 7th, 8th and 9th inning guys tonight. Byrdak for tough lefties, Batista for more than one inning and we just need another LH arm in BP to balance out so that Byrdak is not over worked and give TC another option.
Lastly, I think it was mentioned on broadcast last night, TC seems to be favoring allowing starters to go longer instead of the quick hook he was using early in season. Glad to see him challenging starters especially Gee and Niese.