WHEELER WOWS THEM AT FRISCO!
Matt Cain lasted 21 minutes, 0.2 innings and 36 pitches as the Mets tagged him for three runs to take a lead in the first and escort Cain to the showers early. Daniel Murphy started the scoring off with an RBI single and John Buck followed it up with a two-run single. Cain has never left the game against the Mets without pitching at least five innings.
Marlon Byrd tacked on two more with a home run in the fifth to put the Mets up 5-0. The home run marked the third time Byrd has homered in consecutive games this season. He did so May 29 and 30, June 12 and 13 then again today and yesterday. Byrd is now at 15 for the season. His career high for a season is 20 back in 2009 with the Rangers. He’s been phenomenal hitting in 12 of his last 14 games and going 19-for-61 (.311) with 4 homers and 13 RBIs in that span.
Zack Wheeler came out and took a no hitter into the fourth before Pablo Sandoval broke it up with a single to shallow right. He pitched well in his homecoming to San Francisco.
“I got drafted by the Giants, and obviously I wanted to pitch here,” Wheeler said. “It’s definitely a pitcher-friendly park. I was lucky enough to get traded. I’m in a good situation now. I’m happy here where I’m at.”
He went seven innings on 101 pitches allowing one earned run over three hits and three walks while striking out five.
“That’s the best all-around stuff I’ve seen so far,” Collins said. “Great movement on his fastball. His changeup was the best I’ve seen. He used his breaking stuff when he needed to, but I thought his changeup really, really kept them off the fastball and he got some easy outs. The ball had good life today.”
He also drove in a run with a ringing double to centerfield to plate Buck and make it 6-0. The double gave Wheeler his first career RBI.
Since last night’s go ahead sac fly, Murphy seems to be snapping out of his funk and driving the ball. He notched his 23rd double of the season to score Wheeler in the sixth and gave the Mets a 7-0 lead. He finished the game 2-for-5.
The Giants finally broke through on Wheeler in the seventh with an RBI single by Brandon Crawford, Wheeler’s former Class-A teammate, making it 7-1.
The bullpen was decent again for the Mets. Josh Edgin came in and pitched a scoreless eighth and LaTroy Hawkins pitched through the ninth surrendering one run as the Mets went on to win 7-2.
This is the first series sweep for the Mets since late May when they swept the Yankees in four games. The Mets will head to Pittsburgh to for a three-game series and then head back to New York for the All-Star game, where we will have coverage live from Citi Field all week.
It’s been a great series here in San Francisco. Let’s keep it up!
