Mets Game 122: Win Over Pirates

Mets 2 Pirates 1

A slim margin of victory, but a victory nonetheless.

Mike Pelfrey had to be nearly perfect, and he was, pitching seven spectacular innings of shutout ball before giving way to the bullpen. Big Pelf allowed 7 hits and no walks, striking out one and inducing 14 ground balls.

However, he didn’t get his usual outpouring of support. The Mets managed only two runs against starter Jason Davis, who also went seven innings and allowed just six hits and three walks. All the Mets’ scoring came in the first frame, when it looked like it was going to be another blowout. The non-brothers Reyes led off the game with back-to-back singles, with Jose scoring on a David Wright single and Argenis plating on a wild pitch. But that was all the scoring to be seen, until the eighth, when Bucs batter Jack Wilson hit a solo homer against setup man Duaner Sanchez. It was Wilson’s first four-bagger since Babe Ruth League, so Sanchez was not trusted beyond pinch-hitter Chris Gomez, who grounded out.

Pedro Feliciano finished the eighth, and Aaron Heilman earned his third save by pitching a scoreless ninth.

Notes

Reyes & Reyes went a combined 4-for-9 at the top of the lineup. Despite Argenis’ two hits, I still don’t understand the logic behind batting him second, and Daniel Murphy sixth.

Murphy, by the way, continues to slump. He was retired three times and managed only one hit, and his average is now dangerously low — near the “Cobb Line” in fact. He’s making an out nearly six times for every ten at-bats.

Brian Schneider barely kept his hitting streak alive with a double in his last at-bat. Schneider’s streak was extended to two games.

So I imagine all the Heilman haters will retreat to the woodwork for 24 hours, though none of them will admit they “knew Aaron was going to blow another one”. A few probably will hang around the forums and blogs to let everyone know how badly Duaner stinks.

Next Game

Saturday night’s game is another 7:10 pm start. Pedro Martinez is scheduled to hurl against Zach Duke.