Livan boggles the Marlins, halts win streak at 4 in 8-4 victory

Posted on 11 Apr 2009 by Danielle

Jose Reyes finished 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and three RBI as the New York Mets doubled up Florida, 8-4, in the middle test of a three-game set from Dolphin Stadium.

Carlos Delgado collected three hits and two RBI for the Mets, who snapped a two-game slide. Luis Castillo was 4-for-4, scored three runs and drove one in, while Alex Cora and David Wright knocked in a run each.

Livan Hernandez (1-0) allowed six hits and two runs over his 6 2/3-inning start.

Emilio Bonifacio was 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Marlins, who lost for the first time in 2009 after beginning the year with a franchise-best four consecutive victories. Hanley Ramirez, Wes Helms and Ross Gload added an RBI each in the setback.

Starter Ricky Nolasco (1-1) allowed seven hits and four runs over five innings for the loss.
Already ahead by three, the Mets put the game away with three runs in the eighth.
Facing Hayden Penn, Brian Schneider singled and moved to second on Jorge Cantu's throwing error. Castillo laid down a sacrifice bunt, but an error by Bonifacio left runners at the corners. Pinch-hitter Cora's groundout scored Schneider, and after Reyes fanned and Daniel Murphy walked, Wright and Delgado each brought in a run on back-to-back base hits for an 8-2 contest.

In the ninth, Florida picked up two runs -- one off Darren O'Day, as Gload's pinch-hit sacrifice fly brought in Cody Ross, and one against Francisco Rodriguez, on Ramirez's two-out RBI single. Rodriguez, though, induced a game- ending fly out from Cantu in the next at-bat.

The Mets picked up a run in the third as Castillo led off with a single, moved to second on Hernandez's sacrifice, then scored on a Reyes double.

Reyes added a two-run shot in the fifth for a 3-0 New York lead, and later in the frame a Delgado double scored Murphy for a four-run edge.

In the sixth, Ryan Church led off with a double and scored two batters later on a Castillo single.

Florida got on the board in the seventh, plating a pair of runs with two outs. First, pinch-hitter Helms drove in Dan Uggla off Hernandez, then Bonifacio scored Ross with a base hit after Brian Stokes entered the game.

Notables:

Jose Reyes went 2-5 with 3 RBI's.

Murphy was 1-4 with two runs scored.

Carlos Delgado was on fire, going 3-4 with 2 RBI's.

Church was 2-3 with a RBI and a run scored.

Performer of the game, Luis Castillo, went 4-4 with four singles, one RBI, and THREE runs scored.

David Wright went 1-5 in today's game and knocked in his first RBI of the year. His average is now .316.

0 Comments

Despite strong bats, Ollie gives up eight in Mets loss

Posted on 10 Apr 2009 by Danielle

For two innings Thursday, it appeared as though the world belonged to Mets lefty Oliver Perez at Great American Ball Park. The Reds were just barely living in it.

Yet that thriving Perez world lasted barely more than thirty minutes. After retiring his first six batters, including four straight strikeouts, Perez imploded. When the dust cleared, he had given up eight runs in an 8-6 Mets loss to the Reds.

Over his 4 1/3 innings, Perez also gave up five hits and five walks with seven strikeouts. The loss prevented a three-game series sweep of Cincinnati.

Meanwhile Reds starter Bronson Arroyo, who has been bothered lately by carpal tunnel issues in his right arm and nearly had his outing pushed back, had a rocky beginning while Perez was thriving.

The Mets took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third after four straight batters reached on Arroyo with two outs, including Ryan Church with a two-run double.

Lefty hitters had a .158 batting average against Perez last season, but he couldn't stop the best one the Reds had to offer in Joey Votto. The first baseman took over as the wheels came off the pitcher's performance in the third.

After Willy Taveras drew a two-out walk, Darnell McDonald hit an RBI single to center field. Next was Votto, who hit an 0-1 hanging slider into the right-center-field seats for a three-run homer and 4-3 Reds lead.

It was 4-4 in the fifth for Perez (0-1) when the speedy Taveras dropped a bunt single to the left of home plate. McDonald drew a walk to set up more damage from Votto from the third spot in the order.

Votto lined an RBI single to right-center field that scored Taveras for his fourth RBI. After Brandon Phillips' sacrifice fly, Paul Janish's seeing-eye single off Mets reliever Darren O'Day provided insurance and a four-run Reds lead.

Cincinnati scored 15 runs in the last two games. Votto was 7-for-13 (.538) with two home runs and seven RBIs in the series.

The eight runs allowed tied the career high Perez has set seven times, with the last time coming on May 7, 2007, against the Giants. There was concern that Perez might have a slow start because he didn't get that many innings during Spring Training while pitching in the World Baseball Classic for Mexico.

Church, who was 2-for-3 in the game and 5-for-11 in the series, added a second double leading off the sixth and scored on Alex Cora's sacrifice fly. Arroyo (1-0) finished with five earned runs and eight hits allowed over six innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

In the seventh with Jared Burton pitching, the Reds' lead narrowed to two when Daniel Murphy came home on David Wright's sacrifice fly. Arthur Rhodes and David Weathers held it down with 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings. Closer Francisco Cordero shut the door by striking out the side in the ninth for his first save.

David Wright was 2-3 in yesterday's game, scoring once on two singles and a walk. His average is .400.

0 Comments

Mets battle back against Reds to win, 9-7

Posted on 09 Apr 2009 by Danielle

The New York Mets bullpen is officially 2-2, amazingly enough.

The Mets made hard work of the Cincinatti Reds in the second of a three-game opening series as they edged out a 9-7 victory with the bases loaded in the 9th inning.

The Mets trailed 4-2 after the 1st inning, but they plated three runs in the 5th and another four in the 7th to take a 9-4 lead.

The Reds scored twice in the bottom of the 7th inning and one in the 8th to make it 9-7, but closer Francisco Rodriguez escaped a bases-loaded jam to record the save.

Starting the game, Edison Volquez retired the first two batters he faced, but he walked David Wright on five pitchers and left a 1-1 fastball low and inside to Carlos Delgado who turned on it and crushed it to right field.

But the Mets' lead was short-lived as Mike Pelfrey struggled through a 44-pitch first inning as the Cincinatti Reds batted around and plated four runs at the Great American Ballpark.

Pelfrey came out throwing fastball after fastball, offering up a single to Jerry Hairston Jr, a walk to Chris Dickerson and a line drive home run to Joey Votto.

Brandon Phillips doubled off the wall in right-centre field and advanced to third base on Jay Bruce's groundout.

Edwin Encarnacion then walked to put men on the corners, but Jose Reyesthrew away a certain double play ball as Phillips scored from third.

Ramon Hernandez chopped it weakly up the middle to Luis Castillo who flipped it to Reyes for the force. But Reyes' throw to Delgado was in the dirt and, although it looked like a play the first baseman should make, it skipped all the way to the dugout to bring home a run.

The Reds had a chance to extend their lead in the 3rd inning, but Pelfrey escaped more trouble.

It was the Mets turn to put runners on in the 4th inning but, like the Reds in the home half of the previous frame, failed to put anybody across.

Ryan Church lined a two-out double down the line in left field and Volquez walked Brian Schneider and Castillo to bring Pelfrey to the plate.

The Red's starter fell behind his opposite number 2-1 and 3-2 but got him to hit a weak grounder to third base to keep the 4-2 lead intact.

A similar situation arose in the 5th inning, but this time the Mets made their chance count.

Reyes hit an 0-2 fastball back through the box for a single to centre field and Daniel Murphy slapped one past the diving Encarnacion to left.

Wright then hit a grounder straight at Alex Gonzalez but the shortstop, who had a limited view of the ball coming towards him as Reyes took his lead off of second base, bobbled the play as all runners were safe.

Delgado worked the count full and brought home Reyes on a softly-hit ground ball to Joey Votto at first base as Volquez crossed the 100-pitch mark and the following batter Beltran laced a two-rbi single up the middle to knock Volquez out of the game.

The Reds had a chance to respond immediately in the bottom of the 5th inning when they put Votto and Bruce on the corners with two outs - just their second and third baserunners since they batted around in the 1st inning.

With Encarnacion batting, Bruce tried to steal second base but got caught in a run down. As Bruce backtracked towards first, Votto broke for home but got tagged out by Schneider on the throw from Castillo.

Bobby Parnell pitched around a pair of two-out walks to see the Reds did not level things up and the Mets added an insurance run in the top of the 7th.

David Wright lined a double to left field and beat the throw home on Delgado's RBI single.
Delgado advanced to second on the play and Mike Lincoln intentionally walked Carlos Beltran to get to Church.

But Church walked to load the bases up again and Brian Schneider cleared them off with a 3RBI double to make it 9-4.

Votto scored the Reds' fifth run on a groundout in the bottom of the 7th against Pedro Feliciano and Ramon Hernandez cut the lead to three with an RBI single off the wall in right centre.

Chris Dickerson's sac fly scored Willy Taveras who had hit a one-out triple, but JJ Putz worked around the hit to hand K-Rod a two-run lead.

Francisco Rodriguez walked Phillips but got Jay Bruce to pop up. Encarnacion grounded out to Wright who threw on to first base, but Delgado's foot left the base early as he tried to throw Phillips out as he rounded second and slid into third.

With men on first and third, Rodriguez walked Hernandez, struck out Gonzalez on a high fastball and got Lance Nix on a deep fly ball to the warning track.

David Wright was 1-4 at the plate with three runs scored on a single, a walk, and an error. His average dipped slightly to .286.

0 Comments

WFAN Mets Mailbox: David Wright Edition

Posted on 07 Apr 2009 by Danielle

WFAN's Ed Coleman sat down with David Wright to ask him five questions submitted through fans.

To read the questions and hear the responses click here.

0 Comments

Announcing: The Fan's Guide to Citi Field!

Posted on 06 Apr 2009 by Danielle

After visiting Citi Field on Saturday, I decided to create a guide in order to prepare all types of fans for a trip to Citi Field. Whether you're the casual fan or a die-hard, this guide will help your visit to the Mets' new stadium a great one.

In the guide you will find recommendations on transportation, ticket purchasing suggestions, entrance information and recommendations, an entire section on how to succeed at batting practice, an analysis of every seating option and recommendations as to where to sit based on your personal preferences, full restaurant/concession menus, their locations, their price lists, and suggestions as to whether they're worth the prices and when it is best to visit them, a review of all of the stores, their merchandise, and their locations, places you MUST visit at Citi Field and why, and an additional section with miscellaneous information that is highly valuable.

While this guide is long and extensive, there is a table of contents at the top of the page for your convenience. Just click on the name of the section you want information on and it will jump to that section automatically.

In addition, for your printing convenience should you want to give this guide to someone or bring it with you to Citi Field, there is a .PDF file of the guide.

To check out The Wright Stuff's Guide to Citi Field, by click here.

0 Comments

Mets get off to good start with win over Reds

Posted on 06 Apr 2009 by Danielle

On Opening Day 2009, the Mets showed everyone that they weren't messing around. You got that, Cole and Jimmy?

Daniel Murphy homered and drove in both New York runs, as the Mets opened the 2009 season with a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on a rainy day at Great American Ball Park.

Johan Santana (1-0) went the first 5 2/3 innings to earn the win for New York. He gave up one run on three hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.

The Mets are trying to erase memories of a second consecutive season that ended short of a playoff appearance thanks to a September collapse. Bullpen help was the most pressing need for New York, which blew 29 saves last year and seven leads for Santana alone, and the two big offseason acquisitions -- J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez -- did the job Monday.

The Mets had a chance to score in the first inning, as Jose Reyes reached on an infield single, stole second and went to third on a grounder by Murphy. Harang, however, struck out David Wright before pitching around Carlos Delgado and got Carlos Beltran on a fly ball to right-center to strand both runners.

Santana had a couple of opportunities to give the Mets the lead. In the second, after a leadoff single and a stolen base by Ryan Church, Santana's ground ball up the middle was flagged down by a diving Alex Gonzalez at shortstop for the third out. With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, Santana flied to deep center field.

Putz, acquired from Seattle, worked around a walk in the eighth inning and Rodriguez, who set a single-season saves record of 62 last year with the Angels, set down the side in order in the ninth for the save.

Harang left the game for a pinch hitter in the fifth and the Mets tacked on a run in the sixth against the Cincinnati bullpen. After a one-out double by Luis Castillo, Daniel Ray Herrera walked Santana and Jose Reyes to load the bases. Murphy plated a run with a grounder to first, and Mike Lincoln walked Wright before getting Delgado on a fly ball to shallow center field.

The Reds finally got to Santana in the home sixth. Darnell McDonald led off with a single and Joey Votto followed with a base hit to center. McDonald raced for third and Beltran's throw bounced away for an error, allowing Votto to reach second. Phillips drove in McDonald with a sacrifice fly, but Bruce fouled out and Sean Green came on to retire Edwin Encarnacion on a line drive to left field.

Cincinnati went down in order in the seventh against Green and managed only a one-out walk from pinch hitter Chris Dickerson in the eighth against Putz before Rodriguez finished the contest by retiring Bruce, Encarnacion and Ramon Hernandez.

Aaron Harang (0-1) took the loss in five innings. He allowed one run on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Murphy, anointed the starting left fielder in spring training after a solid late 2008 call-up, lifted a Harang offering in the fifth inning over the wall in right field for the game's first run. The Mets could have had more after bloop singles by David Wright and Carlos Delgado, but Wright was gunned down at the plate by right fielder Jay Bruce trying to score on a single by Carlos Beltran.

David Wright went 1-3 in today's game with a single and a walk, starting off the season at .333.

0 Comments

4/4 Pictures on Flickr

Posted on 05 Apr 2009 by Danielle

0 Comments

Are YOU ready for Opening Day?

Posted on 04 Apr 2009 by Danielle

The Mets are:

0 Comments

Coverage of today's game!

Posted on 04 Apr 2009 by Danielle

In a little while, I will be adding a whole bunch of photos to the Flickr gallery, as well as the ones of David alone to the main gallery.

I also have a video surprise for you all. Nothing big, but it's a cool preview nonetheless.

I'll add it shortly, as well as another really cool thing that I'm doing. It'll give you guys a better idea of Citi Field and how to approach the season!

Keep posted!
- Danielle

PS: Thanks for all of the birthday wishes! :-)

0 Comments

4/4 - What Wright Said...

Posted on 04 Apr 2009 by Danielle

(About signing Gary Sheffield)

I know playing against Sheff you always knew where he was in the lineup. You always knew how many batters were until he came up and then when you got him out it was kind of like you could take a deep breath and focus on the next guy. Because he’s very intimidating up there at the plate. And one swing of the bat he can change the course of the game. he’s a great pickup. I really like it."

(Does he have anything left at age 40?) "I know that when I’m playing third base I back up about 10 feet every time he comes to the plate so that’s all that I need to know. He hits the ball extremely hard. I think he’s got plenty more left."

Credit: Newsday

(On convincing Sheffield to come to the Mets)

"I had the opportunity to exchange some text messages with him yesterday and he's excited to be here, and I think these guys are very excited to have him," Wright said Saturday. "From everything I hear, from the few encounters that I've had with him over the last few years, he has a presence about him, a swagger about him, and I think that kind of confidence will rub off on the clubhouse."

Credit: AP

0 Comments