The New York Mets (9-8) bounced back from a disappointing 7-6 loss to the Washington Nationals on Saturday, and took the series with a convincing 2-0 win this afternoon at Citi Field. The team is once again, a game over .500 for the year.
Dillon Gee bounced back from a couple of brutal starts and tossed 5.2 innings, allowing just three hits and three walks while striking out six. All three walks came in the sixth inning, when Terry Collins called for LaTroy Hawkins to come in and get the last out of the inning.
This was by no means a dominating start for Gee, but it was certainly an improvement and a step in the right direction. One thing Gee did well was use his changeup very effectively, and he definitely had it working today. We’ll need to see more efforts like this from Gee before we can sit back and relax. I like Gee, but to me he is a solid number five pitcher who the Mets have slotted in the three slot.
The Mets got on the board in the second inning thanks to a 450 foot blast by John Buck of Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann. The Mets catcher launched a solo shot into the second deck in left field, otherwise known as “no-man’s-land” – or as Gary Cohen called it, “Bryce Harper Territory.”
Mike Baxter plated the second run when he lifted one to center field to score David Wright on the sac-fly in the fourth.
The bullpen was very effective aside from a slight hiccup by Scott Rice, and kept the Nats off the board. Then enter Bobby Parnell who came in and slammed the door shut with a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his second save of the season.
John Buck continues amaze and come up with the big hits. His homer was the seventh of the season he now leads the Majors with 22 RBI.
There was a sparse crowd on Ron Darling Bobblehead Day, but they were into the game and provided a nice buzz of excitement in the background.
