Mets vs. Dodgers, Game #55 Live Blog
Choosing to pass on attending tonight’s 8pm start at Shea, I hadn’t realized what I’d subjected myself to. Yup, I’m watching this game on ESPN and will be aurally assaulted by the inimitable Joe Morgan.
After looking flat for seven innings, the Mets’ offense came alive in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs to erase a 2-0 Dodgers lead. Billy Wagner, looking more dominant than he ever has as a Met, struck out the side in the ninth to preserve the Mets’ fourth win in their last five games. The Mets (27-27) look to build another winning streak and they’ll send Johan Santana to the mound to do it. The Dodgers (27-28) hope to salvage a split of the series and to get back to .500 – they’ll trot out the Japanese transplanted rookie Hiroki Kuroda.
Dodgers Starting Lineup
Pierre, LF
Kemp, CF
Kent, 2B
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Young, RF
DeWitt, 3B
Maza, SS
Kuroda, P
Mets Starting Lineup
Reyes, SS
Castillo, 2B
Wright, 3B
Beltran, CF
Delgado, 1B
Church, RF
Schneider, C
Chavez, LF
Santana, P
Start of 1st Inning
8:08pm: I still think it’s lame that Shea Stadium chose “Smooth” for when Santana takes the mound.
8:09pm: First pitch is a called strike and we’re underway.
8:10pm: Tough break for Wright and the Mets as the ball goes off his glove for a leadoff double for Pierre.
8:13pm: Single to center for Kemp and Pierre scores to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
8:15pm: Ahh, Jeff Kent – a shame he never panned out as a Met.
8:16pm: Santana catches Kent looking on strike three and there’s one away.
8:18pm: For the third straight batter, Santana has gone to 2-0 on the batter.
8:19pm: Santana catches Kemp leaning too far to second and he’s out in a 1-3-6 rundown. That’s the danger in going on first movement.
8:20pm: Changeup over the outside corner and Loney’s down looking for the final out in the inning.
8:23pm: Reyes gets things going for the Mets, hitting a hard single up the middle. His hitting streak is now at 17 games.
8:24pm: One the second pitch of the Castillo at-bat, Reyes breaks for second and swipes the bag on a closer than expected play.
8:26pm: Castillo flies out to center for the first out. Reyes bluffs going to third to draw the throw but nothing happens.
8:28pm: Wright hits a flare that falls in for a bloop single. Reyes doesn’t wait to make sure the ball drops in and is rewarded for that gamble with a run scored. The Mets tie the game at 1.
8:29pm: Beltran hits a slow grounder that Kuroda quickly grabs and throws over to first. Loney saves the error and manages to hold onto the ball to record the out. Wright advances to second but now there are two outs.
8:31pm: Delgado flies out to center for the third out.
End of 1st Inning – Mets 1, Dodgers 1
Start of 2nd Inning
8:35pm: Santana walks Martin to lead off the second.
8:37pm: Young strikes out swinging for the first out.
8:39pm: Another diving changeup for a swinging strikeout, this time by DeWitt.
8:41pm: After getting ahead 1-2, Santana walks Maza. Runners on first and second with two outs. More importantly, the Dodgers will clear the pitcher’s spot this inning.
8:44pm: Kuroda pops out to end the inning. The leadoff walk does not come back to haunt Santana – at least it doesn’t this time.
8:47pm: Church flies out to the warning track for the first out.
8:48pm: Schneider flies out to shallow center and, quickly, there are two gone in the second.
8:50pm: Chavez grounds out to short and it’s a quick inning for Kuroda.
End of 2nd Inning – Mets 1, Dodgers 1
Start of 3rd Inning
8:53pm: Pierre flies out to left.
8:55pm: Great barehanded pick up by Wright on the grounder but Kemp beats out the throw for an infield hit. He’s aboard with one out.
8:57pm: Absolutely amazing diving play by Reyes to get to the Kent grounder and an even better play popping back up to start the inning ending 6-4-3 double play.
9:00pm: Santana grounds out to start the Mets third.
9:01pm: Does David Wright think the Mets are a championship club – what did ESPN expect him to say? No?
9:02pm: Reyes hits a ball to the left center gap and that’s a no doubt double. He’s on second with one out.
9:06pm: Kuroda takes a really long time between pitches when there’s a runner on base.
9:07pm: Castillo grounds out to second for the second out. Reyes advances to third on the play.
9:08pm: No discussion about the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during a Mets game can be complete without mentioning Scott Kazmir. I’m convinced it’s a law of nature at this point.
9:10pm: Base hit to left for Wright to score Reyes and the Mets lead 2-1. That’s the second time tonight that Wright has driven in Reyes.
9:11pm: As Joe Morgan talks about Beltran’s ability to get hot when it comes to hitting home runs, he hits a bomb off the scoreboard. The Mets extend their lead to 4-1.
9:13pm: I really do love how Jon Miller says “Bel-tron.”
9:14pm: Delgado walks to extend the inning.
9:15pm: The Mets are making Kuroda work the second time through the order.
9:17pm: Church hits the ball deep to right field and into the bullpen for the second two-run home run of the inning. The Mets now lead 6-1. I’d say Ryan Church is just fine.
9:19pm: Schneider flares a ball down the left field line that falls in fair territory for a double.
9:21pm: With Santana on deck, Chavez gets the intentional pass.
9:21pm: This time, Santana comes to the plate to Santana’s “Oye Como Va,” which is a far superior Santana song.
9:22pm: Kuroda won’t get out of the third inning as Torre walks to the mound and signals for the lefty.
9:24pm: Hong-Chih Kuo enters the game in relief of Kuroda.
9:24pm: Kuo is Taiwanese? I thought he was Korean.
9:25pm: Santana grounds out to Loney who runs over to first to end the inning.
End of 3rd Inning – Mets 6, Dodgers 1
Start of 4th Inning
9:28pm: Loney grounds out to Reyes for the first out in the Dodger fourth.
9:29pm: Martin grounds out to Wright. Two outs.
9:30pm: Russell Martin’s full name is Russell Nathan Coltrane Jeanson Martin Jr. – WTF!?
9:31pm: Young grounds out to Castillo and it’s a nine-pitch inning for Santana.
9:35pm: Even when making an out, Reyes hits the ball hard. This time he lines out to Kent for the first out.
9:37pm: Jeff Kent’s still got it as he jump dives for the Castillo liner.
9:38pm: Wright hits the ball up the middle that Kent can’t get to this time and he’s on first with two outs.
9:39pm: Wright’s off the with the first pitch and he’s in safely.
9:39pm: With first base open, the Dodgers will elect, rightly, to put Beltran on first.
9:41pm: Delgado hits a liner to left that’s got just a little too much hang time and it’s the third out of the inning.
End of 4th Inning – Mets 6, Dodgers 1
Start of 5th Inning
9:45pm: DeWitt flies out to left and there’s one away.
9:46pm: Maza grounds out to third for the second out.
9:47pm: According to the report from Peter Gammons, El Duque might be back before July 1st. Again, I’ll believe it when I see it.
9:48pm: Kuo goes down swinging and Santana records another 1-2-3 inning.
9:51pm: Church hits a fly ball to center that Kemp severely misjudges and it rolls to the warning track for a leadoff double.
9:54pm: Schneider grounds to short and Church holds at second. One out in the Mets fifth.
9:55pm: Chavez grounds to third and Church is still on second with two outs.
9:57pm: Santana flies out to left for the third out.
End of 5th Inning – Mets 6, Dodgers 1
Start of 6th Inning
10:00pm: Pierre lines a single to center.
10:01pm: Kemp hits a slow grounder to Reyes and the Mets can only get the force out at second. Kemp is on first with one out.
10:02pm: Great pick by Wright on the Kent grounder and a great catch and pivot by Castillo and Santana’s out of the inning with a 5-4-3 double play.
10:06pm: Acrobatic jumping play by Kuo to grab the Reyes grounder and he throws to first to record the out.
10:08pm: Castillo pops out and there are two away.
10:10pm: Wright strikes out looking on a pitch over the inside corner.
End of 6th Inning – Mets 6, Dodgers 1
Start of 7th Inning
10:13pm: Loney’s aboard with a leadoff single.
10:15pm: Martin gives it a ride but it’s Shea Stadium so there’s plenty of room for Beltran to make the catch.
10:16pm: Steve Phillips will be working the draft for ESPN – I wonder how many times he’ll mention that he drafted David Wright.
10:17pm: Young hits a grounder to Delgado and he throws to Reyes at second for the force. Young is on first with two outs.
10:21pm: Strike three called – DeWitt is out and Santana’s through seven having thrown only 94 pitches. Will he come out for the eighth?
10:25pm: Man, Darryl Strawberry was some talent.
10:27pm: Beltran grounds to short but a wild throw by Maza and he’s safe on first.
10:28pm: Delgado grounds to Kent and he throws over to Maza to get the force. Delgado’s on first with one out.
10:29pm: Church goes opposite field, hitting a single to left and there are runners on first and second.
10:31pm: Schneider’s down looking for the second out.
10:33pm: Chavez flies out to left to end the inning.
End of 7th Inning – Mets 6, Dodgers 1
Start of 8th Inning
10:37pm: Maza lines out to Reyes for the first out.
10:37pm: Terry Tiffee is in the game, pinch hitting for Kuo.
10:38pm: Tiffee grounds out and there are two gone.
10:39pm: Pierre walks on four pitches.
10:42pm: Kemp singles up the middle and there are two on with two out.
10:42pm: That’s all for Santana – he goes seven and two-thirds, giving up one run (so far) on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts. He leaves to a rousing ovation and it’s up to the bullpen to finish the job.
10:43pm: Joe Smith enters the game in relief of Santana.
10:45pm: I hate it when ESPN is in the business of promoting musical artists.
10:46pm: Smith hits Kent to load the bases.
10:46pm: Scott Schoeneweis is in the game, relieving Smith.
10:49pm: Nervous time for Mets fans as the Dodgers are threatening to make this game close.
10:51pm: Ground ball to Reyes, who flips to Castillo for the force and Schoeneweis gets the job done. He’s just having an incredible bounce back season in 2008.
10:54pm: Raul Casanova is in the game to pinch hit for Schoeneweis. Cory Wade enters the game in relief of Kuo.
10:55pm: Casanova strikes out looking.
10:56pm: Reyes strikes out swinging.
10:57pm: Castillo grounds out to end the inning.
End of 8th Inning – Mets 6, Dodgers 1
Start of 9th Inning
10:59pm: Pedro Feliciano is in the game, relieving Schoeneweis.
11:01pm: Delgado makes the running catch in foul territory to retire Martin.
11:03pm: Young hits a comebacker to Feliciano who throws over to first for the second out.
11:04pm: DeWitt flies out to left and the ball game is over.
Game Over – Mets 6, Dodgers 1
A great win tonight as the Mets end their homestand at 5-2. It’s the way they drew it up before the season started – great start from Santana, Reyes making things happen, and timely hitting from Wright and Beltran. Now they head out west for seven games against the Giants and Padres, two teams that have been playing really poorly this season. These are the teams the Mets need to feast on if they are to have championship aspirations.