Game Recap
The best thing about baseball is that after a bad game, you can always clear the slate, come back the next day and try again. The Mets did just that today, and bounced back from yesterday’s brutal loss to beat the Yankees 6-2 in the second game of the Subway Series. It was an unlikely win that was the result of what seemed like a mismatch as journeyman pitcher Fernando Nieve made his first start as Met and beat the Yankees Andy Pettitte.
Nieve was impressive out there today and except for a solo homerun by Alex Rodriguez, he pitched solidly in a game the Mets desperately needed to win.
Nieve, 26, hadn’t started a game in the major leagues since 2006, and was picked to start after John Maine (shoulder fatigue) went on the disabled list. He kept the Yankees off balance and guessing all day, taking a two-hitter all the way into the seventh inning. It was the shot in the arm the Mets were looking for and the Mets bats seemed to feed off of Nieve’s performance on the mound.
It was the Nieve’s first win since June 25, 2006, and his first as a starter since June 9 of the same season.
The Mets torched Andy Pettitte and company for 17 hits including a homerun from Omir Santos who put the Mets on the board, and a towering shot from Gary Sheffield, his 506th homerun of his career. Sheffield has now homered in two straight games and is getting hot again.
I was still discouraged by the 12 runners left on base in this game by the Mets who still struggle to drive in runs with men in scoring position and two outs.
K-Rod finished the game in a non-save situation with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
The Mets are now 32-28 and 3 1/2 games behind the Phillies. Johan Santana pitches the rubber game as the Mets try to build some momentum before they head out to Baltimore for a three game series.
Post Game Notes
After Alex Rodriguez homered of Fernando Nieve, it was nice to see Nieve hit A-Rod with a 95 MPH fastball. We could use a little bit more of that on this team!
Gary Sheffield plans to have an MRI on his sore right knee sometime in the next couple days, he said after Saturday’s 6-2 win against the Yankees. His knee has been giving him some problems for almost two weeks now. Hopefully, this is nothing to worry about.
Luis Castillo was nearly in tears when he spoke to reporters before the game, and said he didn’t sleep all night. He did make a nice play in the eight inning even though the runner beat the throw to first. I’m still pissed at him because tomorrow we could have been going for the sweep and how awesome would that have been?
Game Ball
Fernando Nieve saves the day!
