Mets 6- Giants 4

Almost two years since the last walk off win by the Mets, Rod Barajas hit a 2 run game winning home run in the bottom of the ninth.

– Mike Pelfrey was really good tonight.  I mean it.  7.1 IP, 4 K’s, 0 BB’s, 3 ER, on 8 hits and 85 pitches (61 for strikes- 72%).  He went into the 8th inning having thrown only 85 pitches.  In the 8th had he not let on the first two runners he would’ve went the distance.  He was masterful and we saw the old school Mike Pelfrey: pitch to contact and make them hit the sinker.  While the Giants may have the best average of any NL team, they do NOT have an explosive offense with much power so there was no need for Pelf to get cute.

– Its difficult to give any JUST one player the game ball so I’m going to give it to both Ike Davis AND Rod Barajas.  Both had two home run games.  Both had great plays in the ninth that helped win the game.  I know people will only look at the game winning two run home run that Barajas hit but that catch in the ninth inning was just downright awesome.  Its funny:

batters 1-6 were a combined: 4- 22 1 RBI, 1 Run scored, 2 BB’s, and 4 K’s.

Rod Barajas and Ike Davis: 4-7 5 Runs, 5 RBI’s, 1 BB, 1 K. (All four hits were home runs- incredible.)

– You always get excited when a rookie comes along and has a great stretch.  You get the feeling that this isn’t just a stretch.  Granted he has to stay away from the injury plague which the Mets have not been able to avoid but if he does, you get the feeling that he will be a really good player for a really long time.  The two home runs he hit were massive, mammoth home runs off Jonathan Sanchez who hadn’t given up a HIT to a lefty batter all season.  His first was so high that Gary Cohen had a tough time reading the trajectory of the ball, only after it smacked off the Pepsi Porch did his voice go into excitement/awe which was pretty awesome to hear.  His second was to the deepest part of the park and he did it with letting go with one hand which shows you the raw power this kid has.  The first was on an inside fastball, the second more massive home run was on a hanging breaking ball.  Usually hitters don’t do well against same side pitching but he’s 7 for 10 against lefties.  He’ll eventually hit righties so he’s getting to the point that he’s an everyday player as he should be.

– Speaking of which, the ninth inning gave me goosebumps because the guys turned into fans calling the game.  Hearing Cohen yell safe, NO OUT! when Francouer bunted/swung at that pitch was just awesome.  This was just minutes after Cohen went crazy on the Ike Davis catch which I’m gonna tell you right now, is going down as one of the greatest Met catches of all time.  For those who didn’t get to watch the game, well TOO BAD, but let me try and describe to you the degree of difficulty on it.

Top of the ninth: K-Rod in to protect a one run lead.  He’s already given up the lead with a pinch hit home run by John Bowker to tie the game at 4.  Bengie Molina comes in and strikes out to make it two outs.  Aaron Rowand reaches first on a single.  A terrible balk call on Frankie Rodriguez which put Rowand on 2nd.  Then Mark DeRosa hit a ground ball up the middle which Luis Catillo of 2002  comes and gobbles up in his glove preventing Rowand from scoring the go ahead run.  Amazing play by Castillo one of the most hated Mets for really no reason.*  Then Pablo Sandoval after fouling off a few 0-2 pitches, pops one up on the first base side.  Ike Davis goes over for a look, sees how much room he has to make the play, gets to the railing, and then jumps over the railing to make the catch, do a dive and stick the landing.  AMAZING.  At that point I didn’t even scream, I just put my hands over my head and looked on with shock at that play.  What a great play.  Two amazing defensive gems to save the game for the Mets!

Bottom of the ninth: Francouer bunts/hits a slow roller to third which is scooped up by Pablo Sandoval and he barely beats out French at first.  Later replays showed that the call was correctly made by Angel Hernandez but the call by the guys was classic:

Cohen: and he’s safe. NO. OUT!

Hernandez: (in the background) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The crowd was booing the play and Manuel ran out on to the field.**  After a few minutes the replays showed that Hernandez had the right call so everyone settled down.  Ike Davis draws a walk.  Up comes Rod Barajas and he just absolutely blasts it out to the left field corner for a two run home run which looked like it would die at the warning track but had just enough pop to go over the fence.

*= For those who don’t know, Luis Castillo has a bad contract that Mets management was dumb enough to give him and yet he’s given most of the blame for accepting.  Yeah.  Like none of us wouldn’t.

**= Every time Manuel runs out to the field, he has his head down as if he’s going over his arguments to the ump so he won’t look like a fool.  I do have another theory and that is, the Swithin Titus theory, named appropriately.  Everytime I have to go up in front of a large gathering I’m always aware of myself walking or moving so I tend to get real stiff and try to walk as cool and calm as I can so I don’t trip or fall.  Its basically a defensive measure to make sure I don’t do any classic blooper reel stuff.  It works about 60% of the time.

– After a wild series against the Reds in which they got beat on two 10th inning walk offs and had a ninth inning home run themselves sandwiched in (Mr. Barajas himself), the Mets are suddenly finding their late inning heroics thanks to the Reds who have been absolutely magical.  You always look for one or two games as the turning point in the season and I think that their last home stand, there was that game where they turned all that negativity surrounding them in Citi Field and used it to get them going.  They’ve won 8 straight at home and are just cruising now in a home ball park that last year was murder for them because of its dimensions.  They hit four more homeruns here and it seems as though the park is getting smaller to the Mets now that they have some boppers up and down the lineup.  While people may make something of Bay’s struggles, he’s always been a streaky hitter who will find his power stroke at some point and get going.  I’m not too worried about him and Wright is also becoming one of those guys that at the end of the year will end up with 25 HRs, 100 RBI’s, and a .310 average somehow.  I dont know how these guys do it, but they do.

– Huge bounce back game for Pelfrey after getting shelled by the Phillies on Saturday.  Tomorrow Johan gets his turn at turning things around against Todd Wellenmyer a guy the Mets traditionally have had great success against.  Then again we said the same thing against Jaime Moyer but we all know Moyer has that old thing down pact having pitched almost a decade in his forties.  Mets go for their second straight against the Giants at 1:10.  Hopefully this game was that turning point to get them going.

The SEASON: 16-13

MY PREDICTION: 16-13

By the way, I have them winning the next two games.  I hope I didn’t jinx it.  LGM!