Mets 6, Giants 2 (11-15, 4 GB)

Tuesday, May 4, 2004

Bonds or no Bonds, a win is a win. The Mets took advantages of the Giants' mistakes last night (almost uncharacteristic of the Mets) and came through in some clutch situations to win back-to-back games for just the second time this season.

Some of this game was very ugly - on both sides. Mike Piazza clearly should have eaten the bunt that he threw away, and Danny Garcia made a careless throw himself, leading to a Giants run in the second inning.

The ugliness was contagious, though, and Edgardo Alfonzo caught it bad. He made a few bad plays in the field. In the third inning, Karim Garcia hit a hard grounder off Brett Tomko's foot. Alfonzo tried to get Garcia at first and threw wildly, scoring a run for the Mets. Then in the sixth inning, an Alfonzo error (or misplay) allowed the Mets to start a three-run rally, consisting of an RBI single by Jason Phillips and a clutch 2-run homer by Mike Cameron. The Giants in the sixth inning looked like the Mets usually do. No, that's mean - they looked like the Mets USED to look. But not anymore. The Mets now have a two-game winning streak. And they're putting their opponents away -not keeping it close. I know I say it a lot - but with the Mets struggling to win close games, the fact that they are winning by wider margins is important.

Notes: You all probably think it's too early to be scoreboard-watching, but I don't. Plus I like to watch a lot of baseball, so I watch the teams the Mets are chasing. And here's the update, because it was exciting, and it features two ex-Mets pitchers. First, the Phillies facing the Cardinals. The Cardinals led by one, 2 outs in the ninth, bases loaded, Pat Burrell of the Phillies at the plate. Burrell swings wildly and misses at strike three high and inside from Jason Isringhausen. The ball goes all the way to the backstop. Mike Matheny somehow nails Burrell at first by a half-a-step. The Phillies lose. The Mets pick up a game on Philadelphia. Move to Florida, where the Marlins are hosting the Dodgers. (Another ugly game, by the way - lots of dumb little-league type errors in this one too.) Armando Benitez finally blows a save - I think he had 10 straight saves to open the season. Nevertheless, the Dodgers scored the go-ahead run in extra innings when a ground ball hit by Olmedo Saenz went through Mike Mordecai's legs at third base. Eric Gagne closed it out, and the Mets picked up a game on the Marlins. Just like that, four games out of first. And the Giants and Brewers are two beatable teams...the Mets should be able to do very well on this homestand.

FYI - Due to the virus on my home computer and the impending marriage, I might not be able to keep up this site for a couple of weeks. God knows I'll try...but I'll definitely give an update when I return.

Keep in mind, Monday the 10th, in Arizona (that's next Monday) - the Mets must reward me with a wedding gift of a no-hitter. Although, according to my calculations, Jae Seo will be pitching. So it's unlikely. But I hope it happens.