Mets Game 112: Win Over Braves

Mets 11 Braves 7

It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was a win just the same.

Mets Game Notes

Jonathon Niese was awful, but pitched just well enough to win. In other words, the Mets scored seven runs for him. Niese did OK to start off the game, but fell apart in the third frame. By the time he exited, he had allowed 5 runs on 10 hits and 2 walks in 5 innings. Considering how poorly Tommy Hanson pitched, you have to wonder if the rain delay had something to do with messing up each pitcher’s game performance.

In the bottom of the third, the Mets put runners on first and third with no outs against Tommy Hanson. Hanson was struggling mightily with his command, and it appeared as though the Mets were on the brink of a huge inning as he started off Jon Niese 3-1. Hanson came back to strike out Niese, got a popup from Jose Reyes, and then struck out Justin Turner to end the threat and the inning.

In the top of the fourth, the Braves started off with men on first and second, scored one on a broken-bat single, and then loaded the bases when Dan Uggla hit a bouncer down the third base line that started out in foul territory but bounced back a few inches in. David Wright quickly gloved the ball — maybe thinking it was foul? — and as a result Uggla collected an infield hit. A few hits later and the score was 5-2 Braves. It all happened in a matter of about five minutes.

Luckily, though, the Mets came back quickly via the long ball — hit by their big sluggers Justin Turner, Josh Thole, and Jason Bay. Hmm … maybe they should have had more hitters with first names starting with “J”?

Hanson threw two batting-practice fastballs to Josh Thole — middle of the plate, waist-high, straight as an arrow, about 88-90 MPH — and Thole hit one to the fence, the other over it. Hanson really struggles against the Mets; I wonder if it’s something about the pressure of the big city or the nightlife of it. Or maybe the rest of the NL is not adept at hitting fastballs over the middle of the plate.

Speaking of Thole, he threw out speedster Michael Bourn attempting to steal. For the first time ever, he is using good footwork, sliding his right foot sideways toward the middle of his body to start the throw. I never thought I’d see the day. Pleasing to see.

Thole and Angel Pagan both went 3-for-4. Jason Bay hit a homer and drove in 3. Justin Turner hit two homers and drove in 4.

George Sherrill‘s pitching mechanics are horrendous. Kids, don’t copy his inane delivery, which begins with him looking at second base. And if his over-rotation wasn’t bad enough, he also randomly uses a slide-step, which causes his front side to fly open even more prematurely than normal — and in turn he leaves the ball up and out to the RH hitter (and/or gets no bite on the breaking pitch).

Next Mets Game

The rubber match occurs at 1:10 PM on Sunday afternoon — weather permitting. Dillon Gee is scheduled to pitch against Mike Minor.