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May 20, 2010 Mets 2010 Games John Fitzgerald

Game 42: Win Over Nationals

Mets 10, Nationals 7

What a difference a day makes…

The Mets exploded for 10 runs on 15 hits, led by a strikeout-free David Wright, who finished with 4 RBI. Wright’s 3-run double in the first inning put the Mets ahead for good, but it was a bumpy ride.

In the bottom of the first inning, John Maine walked leadoff hitter Nyjer Morgan and was then pulled by manager Jerry Manuel. The official report on Maine’s “injury” was that he wasn’t injured at all. Apparently, Manuel didn’t like something about Maine’s velocity and mechanics. Maine wasn’t happy with the decision, to say the least. It makes you wonder if Dan Warthen or Jerry Manuel saw anything in Maine’s warmup. Or maybe it was just a stunt. Stay tuned.

With Maine out of the game, Raul Valdes came on and pitched brilliantly – 5 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 3 ER, 6 K – by the time he exited the game, the Mets had an 8-1 lead. Manny Acosta quickly gave up two runs that were charged to Valdes, but the Mets were in control of the game… for the time being.

Meanwhile, the Mets offense was relentless – Jason Bay and Ike Davis each had three hits. Rod Barajas hit his 10th home run.

The Nats put up three in the eighth but Pedro Feliciano was able to get out of a jam by getting Adam Dunn to flyout with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Francisco Rodriguez did his customary “getting thrown off a merry-go-round at 50 mph” routine, looking like he was on the verge of losing his composure while allowing a hit and a run before getting the save.

Next Game

The Mets take on the Yankees on Friday night at Citi Field. Hisanori Takahashi (3-1, 3.12) takes the mound against Javier Vasquez (2-4, 8.01). First pitch at 7:10pm.

Check out this Super-8mm film footage of the first time the Diamondbacks visited Shea Stadium in 1998 – with audio of Bob Murphy and Gary Cohen. Great stuff:

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John Fitzgerald is an independent film/TV producer. In 2007, he followed former Mets 2B Wally Backman and his minor league team for the TV show, "Playing for Peanuts." Click here for DVD ordering information NOTE: $5 from each sale goes to maintenance costs of MetsToday.com
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  1. Nick May 21, 2010 at 3:53 am
    Wow, Great Vid! It's a throwback, makes it seem like your watching something from the 70's. I thought commentators just sounded like that back then, but I guess its mostly the way the camera picks it up.

    About the game, what was up with that looney tune inning (5th was it?) Valdes drag bunts his way on, Ike Davis can't get thrown out on a sure fire play at third, and Zimmerman has a case of the tripsies? I thought the Nats were real deal? Aww alrite so it was just one inning, fine… It still looked awful funny

  2. gary s. May 21, 2010 at 4:04 am
    Maine should be released in the next few days.he is not a major league pitcher anymore.perez should be told, if u don't go to triple aaa, we will never use u again and your rotten career will finally be over.i doubt if either will happen.fred and jeff are sakiavating about all the overpriced food abd tee shirts they will see this weekend.after all isn't that why u beome an owner??
  3. gary s. May 21, 2010 at 4:05 am
    that;s salivating..i hate the new comment system.can't see what i am writing ..
    here!
  4. Nick May 21, 2010 at 1:38 pm
    Does this mean Perez is coming back into the rotation? Cuz, Santana, Pelfrey… That's only two, add in the Japanese long reliever, thats three, add in R.A. Dickey, that's four. Where's number five coming from? And btw, as if that wasn't bad enough, I can only wonder who number five will be…
  5. Andy May 21, 2010 at 2:42 pm
    I hope not. There's a day off on Monday, so they don't actually need a fifth starter until a week from today. Maybe it should be Raul Valdez. But you're probably right it will be Ollie. Otherwise why not use him some last night? It was clearly a mop-up situation.
  6. AlexSVK May 21, 2010 at 2:52 pm
    At this point, the Mets should go really hard for Yunesky Maya to shore up the rotation.
  7. Andy May 21, 2010 at 3:05 pm
    I still have a dream that they'll somehow get the Ham Fighters to part with Yu Darvish.
  8. John Fitzgerald May 21, 2010 at 3:10 pm
    Hey Gary,

    Let me know why you don't like the new commenting system and I'll see what we can do to make it better.

    John

  9. gary s. May 21, 2010 at 4:47 pm
    warthen called maine a habitual liar..bye john..please take ollie with u..
  10. Andy May 21, 2010 at 7:43 pm
    I agree with you if you mean it was really bad form for Warthen to throw his player under the bus publicly like that.

    But I find the substance of what Warthen said pretty plausible. Maine downplays his pain because he is a go-getting bulldog who wants to pitch regardless of possible injury.

    Manuel at least had a little more sense in describing Maine's desire to pitch as a positive.