The New York Mets (57-56) were defeated by the Arizona Diamondbacks (47-66) by a score of 3-2 Wednesday night at Citi Field. The Mets remain 2.5 games behind the second NL Wild Card Spot.
Pitching:
Bartolo Colon started for the Mets this evening and pitched very well, allowing one earned run on seven hits and one walk in seven innings, striking out eight. He left with the Mets losing 1-0 halfway through the 7th. The game started off interestingly when in a first and third situation, the Mets recorded a fun 1-3-6-5 putout on Jean Segura attempting to score from third.
Addison Reed came in for the 8th and was greeted rudely by Jean Segura who cranked a double to right-center field. Michael Bourn bunted him over to third and then Paul Goldschmidt drove him in with a sac fly down the right field line. He also struck out one in the inning.
Erik Goeddel came in for the 9th to keep the Diamondback’s lead at 2-0. He walked the first batter then induced a fly out, before Terry brought in Jonathan Niese to face the lefty Socrates Brito. He got a tailor made double play ball, on which Neil Walker made a perfect feed to Wilmer Flores at shortstop, however he dropped the ball on the transfer and Brito was safe at first. Luckily the next pitch was a flyout to end the inning.
Jeurys Familia came in to preserve the tie score in the 10th, with Granderson moving to left and pinch hitters Kelly Johnson and Alejandro De Aza staying in at shortstop and center field respectively. After a quick Rickie Weeks strikeout, Jean Segura nubbed a ball down to the rookie Rivera at third, who charged and made a throw on the run to first. The throw was low, but James Loney made a phenomenal pick to get the speedy Segura by a hair.
Michael Bourn then lined a base hit to right, bringing Paul Goldschmidt to the plate. Bourn stole second, the D-Backs’ fourth stolen base of the evening, but it wouldn’t matter as Familia struck out Goldy with a 98 mph sinker. He stayed in to pitch the 11th and allowed only a base hit to Chris Owings.
Jerry Blevins came in to pitch the 12th, and after getting ahead 0-2 to the leadoff batter, served up a solo home run down the left field line to Oscar Hernandez, the first of his MLB career. He then recorded three quick outs, the last of which on a great leaping catch by Kelly Johnson at short to rob Michael Bourn of a base hit.
Offense:
T.J. Rivera‘s first major league at bat came in the second inning with the bases empty and two outs. On a 2-2 pitch, he hit one hard up the middle, however it caromed off the pitcher Robbie Ray‘s leg towards the third baseman Jake Lamb, who threw him out at first. A classic 1-5-3 putout to start his career, welcome to the Mets T.J.!
The Mets’ bats were silenced most of the game. Ty Kelly, Neil Walker, and Jay Bruce all had singles, but that was it.
Losing 2-0 in the 9th, the Mets had 9-1-2 due up to bat. Alejandro De Aza pinch hit for the pitcher and drew a 6-pitch walk. Curtis Granderson then struck out on a 2-2 slider for the first out, de Aza still at first. Kelly Johnson was then called upon to pinch hit for the left fielder Ty Kelly. He got ahead 2-0 and then demolished an inside fastball three rows from the top of the Coca Cola Corner in right field to tie the game.
Lefty Adam Loewen was brought in to face Neil Walker, now with the score tied at two with one out in the 9th. Walker worked the count to 3-1 before he seared a base hit up the middle, his second hit of the game. Jay Bruce then hit a slow grounder to second, on which Jean Segura didn’t really seem to play with a sense of urgency. He didn’t charge the ball and was left without a play at second, and tossed to first for the out, moving Walker into scoring position.
Righty Daniel Hudson came in to face Wilmer Flores, who flew out to left field for the third out. On to extras!
T.J. Rivera led off the bottom of the 10th with his first major league hit, a one-hopper straight to Michael Bourn‘s crotch. Travis d’Arnaud then popped up a bunt attempt for the first out. Lefty Steve Hathaway was brought in to face James Loney, who grounded out to the first baseman, advancing Rivera to second with two outs. De Aza then flew out to center to end the inning.
Against Randall Delgado in the 11th, Curtis Granderson grounded out to the second baseman for the first out, and after working the count full, Kelly Johnson struck out looking at a high change up. Neil Walker then nubbed one against the shift to third, however the shortstop Owings, playing near the bag, made a nice play to throw Walker out at first and end the inning.
Losing 3-2 in the 12th, the Mets had Jay Bruce, Michael Conforto, and T.J. Rivera due up. Bruce flew out to left field, despite a shaky Rickie Weeks‘ making it look difficult. Up came Conforto, who entered in the double switch which brought in Jerry Blevins. He struck out, bringing rookie T.J. Rivera to the plate. He would not be the hero in his debut, however, as he flew out to center field to end the game.
Notes:
Verizon Trivia Question: Who has saved the most Bartolo Colon wins?
6-Time All Star and 3-time Silver Slugger Prince Fielder today announced he will not be able to play baseball anymore and has ended his career. Fielder, 32, was for a while one of the most feared hitters in the game. He finished his career with a .283/.382/.506 slash line with 319 home runs and 1028 RBIs. Playing 11 seasons for the Brewers, Tigers, and Rangers, he averaged 33 HRs and 104 RBIs per season.
I just want to reiterate that T.J. Rivera‘s first MLB hit went straight into Michael Bourn‘s crotch. Can we get the SNY stat guys to find out if that’s happened before?
The Mets have still not won a game trailing after 8 innings this season.
Verizon Trivia Answer: Jeurys Familia (18 Saves)
On Deck:
Tomorrow at 12:10, the Mets will send Noah Syndergaard (9-6, 2.64 ERA) to put the hammer down on the Diamondbacks and Braden Shipley (1-1, 4.15 ERA) at Citi Field.
