Queens, NY-- It was like night and day as the Mets could not pick up the doubleheader sweep against the Reds at Shea Saturday. In the first game, it seemed as if the Amazin's continued to have hot bats against the Reds beating them by the score of 12-6. In the night cap, though, the Mets could not take advantage of the guys they had on base and lost the game, 7-1.
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| Carlos Delgado and the Mets hit their way to victory in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday. PHOTO COURTESY OF MLB |
Starting things off for the Mets in the day game was pitcher Johan Santana who picked up his fourth win of the year. This win was his first at Shea Stadium this year. Going six innings and striking out five. After the game manager Willie Randolph said that, "Santana really grinded out there for us in the game today, he didn't have his best stuff, he bent but did not break. "
For Santana the bending part included 10 hits, which ties a career high. After the game Santana said, "It is always good to win a game like this one, especially one that we were battling through a bit." He continued on by saying, "It was a team effort and it was good to see."
Also contributing in game one was Carlos Beltran and Delgado who hit the cover off the ball several times. In game one Beltran had one single, a sac fly and a triple all for RBIs. The triple was a ball that was ripped just fair down the first base line. Beltran said of that hit after the game, "Last week that goes foul, and the ball to center field (his single in the third inning) goes to the second baseman." As for Delgado who feels that he is seeing the ball better now had a ball in the third inning go 390 feet past the right field fence.
In game two it had seemed pretty even between the two teams; as Mike Pelfrey went head to head with Bronson Arroyo. Both pitchers kept their teams in the games, but it was Arroyo who eventually prevailed thanks to some pesky hitting by the Reds.
After game two Randolph said, "We're a much better club than we've shown and we've played, though we know it's not easy."
What especially was not easy for the Mets in game two was missed opportunities to get some run support for Pelfrey. The third inning was the shining example of how night and day things were for the Mets. The thing that hurt the Amazing's most in that inning was over aggressive base running by David Wright who was trying to score on Beltran's double in that inning. For the Reds they were able to execute a perfect relay throw to beat Wright at home plate.
Contributing in a big way against his former team was shortstop Mike Keppinger who had a career high five hits in the night cap. Arroyo who was also extremely solid going eight innings and striking out nine Mets. Striking out the side twice; the first time came in the first inning; as Reyes, Chavez and Wright all sat down. The next time was in the seventh inning; as he was able to strike out Marlon Anderson, Ramon Castro and Ryan Church.
"It's a big chess match for me because I don't have overpowering stuff, "Arroyo said. "I felt like I beat them to the punch on a couple of pitches."
David Wright was impressed by Arroyo's performance saying how, "He (Arroyo) pitched great, he has a good track record against us. He goes out there and he's very smart. He adds a little, and subtracts a little."
Notes: With Mothers Day Sunday several members of the Mets are going to be playing with pink bats and will autograph them to be auctioned off...The proceeds of the bats will go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation to fight breast cancer...With Carlos Delgado home run in the bottom of the seventh inning in game 1 he now has 436 home runs in his careeer; his 435th vs Brandon Webb in Arizona was the most in Major League history by a Puerto Rican-born player. He is also in 36th place in MLB All-Time Home Run List.
