At this stage of the game, all the Mets have left are moral victories. One of those moral victories would be finishing the season at .500, another would be to finish above the Phillies and Marlins. Both of those goals took a hit with tonight’s 3-1 loss to the Rockies at Citi Field. With the defeat, the Mets are now tied with the Phillies for 4th place, 18.5 games behind the first place Nationals.
R.A. Dickey started for the Mets and for the thirteenth time this season he allowed one run or less and didn’t earn a win. Dickey made one bad pitch all night, but it was a costly one – a solo homer to Tyler Colvin. The knuckleballer tossed seven innings allowing just the one run on three hits and two walks while fanning six. His quest for 20 wins seemed like a cinch a month ago, but after going 13-1 in his first 19 starts, Dickey is 2-3 in his last seven.
Offensively. the Mets were flat. The Mets blew a chance to break the game open when they loaded the bases in the eighth on a Mike Baxter double and walks to David Wright (intentional) and Daniel Murphy. But pinch-hitter Jordany Valdespin was called out on a bang-bang play sliding into first to make the third out. Spin went nuts, but he was out and the ump made the right call.
The Mets had just six hits in the game including a pair by Mike Baxter including a double. Scott Hairston got a rare start against a righty and went 0-3 with a walk.
Jon Rauch pitched a shaky inning of relief allowing a run on two hits and walk.
The Mets play the Rockies again tomorrow as Chris Young (3-6, 4.50 ERA) takes on Jhoulys Chacin (0-3, 7.30 ERA) at 7:10 pm.
