In the wake of the news Sunday night that Osama bin Laden was killed, the Mets were able to salvage a win (2-1 ) in a 5-hour, 14-inning marathon.
The win capped off a .500 road trip that looked like it was going to end ugly after the Mets won the first two games against the Nationals but then lost the finale to the Nationals and first two games in Philadelphia over the weekend.
In his first game as catcher for the Mets, Ronnie Paulino hit an eventual game-winning double in the 14th inning and added to his five-hit game. Paulino was the player of the game for Sunday, but the bullpen deserves the award for the entire six-game road trip. In 20-plus innings, the bullpen allowed eight earned runs on fourteen hits and six of those runs came in the 10-3 blowout on Friday to the Phillies. Josh Thole, Daniel Murphy and Chris Young would receive honorable mention. Thole helped defeat the Nationals on Tuesday with his three RBIs, including his two-run double to break the tie in the sixth inning.
Courtesy of "UPI.com"
Murphy was the hero on Wednesday night against the Nationals with his game-tying, pinch-hit home run in the eight inning and helped a four-run rally in the ninth inning with a two-run double. Young didn’t record a win in his two outings for the week but pitched a combined 11-plus innings, allowing just three runs on six hits.
The Mets did well offensively in the first two games against the Nationals, but then they struggled to score runs. They have scored nine runs in the last four games and David Wright and Jason Bay left their bats in New York, or at least Wright found his bat for Sunday’s game as he went 3-for-6 with both runs scored. If it wasn’t for the bullpen pitching well, this road trip could have been worse.
Jonathan Niese was able to hold the Phillies to only two runs against Roy Halladay, but his performance was still wasn’t enough to win the game. Ike Davis, Wright and Bay went a combined 1-for-11 with six strikeouts. Halladay is known for his strong performances against any team, but the middle of the order needs to execute and help Niese or any Mets starting pitcher that is face a top pitcher. They only had seven hits against Halladay, and all of them were singles; therefore, manager Terry Collins needs to find ways to manufacture runs as opportunities are limited when facing Halladay.
Now, the Mets open a homestand against the struggling Giants and Dodgers. The Mets will face Ryan Vogelsong, the Giants ace Tim Lincecum and Jonathan Sanchez in the first series between these two teams this season.
