The Mets began game one tonight against the NL leading Dodgers (26-13). The Dodgers came in winning 5 of their last 6 games. The Mets have Tim Redding play his first game of the season after only allowing 4 runs in 13 innings in the minor leagues. He’s also 1-3 with a 5.64 ERA in four starts and six lifetime appearances against the Dodgers. Randy Wolf started for the Dodgers, Wolf is 5-0, with a 3.60 ERA in his last seven starts against the Mets.

Pitching

Tim Redding had his first start of the season and immediately walked the lead off guy, giving up 2 runs in the first inning. After a rough first inning, Redding had settled down nicely. 5 shut down innings, giving him a nice start, but no win for him tonight with the lack of hits and runs from the offense. Redding was pulled after 6 innings for Parnell. Parnell had another nice game going 1 inning, striking out one. JJ Putz came into the 8th inning and got his 3 outs to keep the game tied 2-2. Since the Mets offense couldn’t get another run, Green came into the game to hopefully take the game into extra innings. However, he did not, but Feliciano came in and did. Stokes came into 10th inning after Mets continue not to score a run. Stokes get a 1-2-3 tenth inning. *GAH! I’m getting tired.* Stokes stays in fro eleventh inning. Everything fell apart for the Mets, Beltran and Pagan don’t communicate and lose the ball. Bases loaded bottom of the eleventh no outs. Beltran plays behind second base. Reed throws away the ball hit to him. Mets lose 3-2 in 11 innings.

Redding: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER/R, 4 BB, 4 K, 0 HR, 93-54 pc-st, 3.00 ERA.
Parnell: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER/R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0 HR, 13-7 pc-st, 1.96 ERA.
Putz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER/R, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR, 16-15 pc-st, 3.68 ERA.
Green: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER/R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR, 16-8 pc-st, 7.94 ERA.
Feliciano: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER/R, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR, 2-1 pc-st, 2.81 ERA.
Stokes: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER/R, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR, – pc-st, . ERA.

Hitting

The Mets out hit the Dodgers 11 to 5 but the Mets couldn’t get much run support for their pitchers. Mets went 1-8 RISP, and 8 LOB. Another example of a Met problem this season, sliding, as in the eighth inning Ryan Church almost got tagged out at first because he did not slid into first. He was tagged out, but the ump didn’t call it that way. Another problem with Church; Angel Pagan hits a ball into left, Church comes around third, BUT MISSES THE BAG! He gets out. Church came up limping after sliding into home. It’s just one of those nights for Church.

Mets first run was in the second inning. Wright doubles, Martinez grounded out to shortstop, Wright scored.
Second run. Pagan doubles, Sheffield singled to right, Pagan scored. 

1. Pagan: 4-6   .500
2. Castillo: 0-5   .278
3. Beltran: 0-4   .367
4. Sheffield: 1-3   .257
    Putz: 0-0   0.00
    Green: 0-0   0.00
    Feliciano: 0-0   0.00
    c-Reed ph-1b: 1-1  .379
5. Wright: 2-3  .359
6. Tatis: 0-5   .286
    Stokes: 0-0   0.00
7. Martinez: 0-5   0.00
8. Castro: 0-5   .254
9. Redding: 1-2   .500
    a-Murphy PH: 0-1   .269
    Parnell: 0-0   0.00
    b-Church RF: 2-2  .276

a- hit for Redding in 7th inning.
b- double switch: Sheffield comes out for Putz, Church goes to RF.
c- hit for Feliciano in 10th inning. Double switch: Tatis comes out for Stokes. Reed goes to first base.

BB: Beltran (26), Sheffield (15), Wright 2 (22, 23)
K: Castro (14), Redding (1), Pagan (1)
DP: Castillo
2B:  Wright 2 (11,12), Pagan 2 (1,2)
RBI: Martinez (1), Sheffield (8)

Baserunning/ Fielding

Error: Martinez 2 (1,2), Green (1), Beltran (2), Reed (1)
WP: Redding (1)
DP: 1 (Castro – Castillo)

Additional Info

Nelson Figueroa has his 35th birthday today. Happy Birthday to him.
Sadly Figueroa was DFA’d… again.

Carlos Delgado will go for surgery on Tuesday, and will miss at least the next 8 weeks. Our prayers will go out to him for a successful surgery.

Alex Cora goes to disabled list. Ramon Martinez plays SS.
Reyes still out of the lineup, that is 5 games now.
Both Ramon Martinez and Angel Pagan had their first starts of the season.

David Wright now pases Mike Piazza for 4th most Met career doubles.
Wright- 195.
Piazza- 193. 

Pagan’s first ever 4-hit game.

David Wright hitting streak: 10 games.
Carlos Beltran hitting streak ends at 9 games.

Aflac trivia question: Who is the youngest player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Aflac trivia answer: Sandy Koufax (age 36)

Game Ball

Pagan and Wright. Or who ever is left standing… 1:54 A.M. GOOD NIGHT!.

Up Next

John Maine (3-2) will go up against Billingsley (5-1) in another late night game @ 10:10 PM tomorrow night.