It was a long time coming. Michael Cuddyer hadn’t had a walkoff hit since 2006. This one couldn’t have come at a better time. Cuddyer hit a soft liner past a diving Joe Panik and Curtis Granderson waltzed home with the winning run, ending a taut, terrific ballgame.
Jon Niese squared off against Tim Lincecum. This game started as every game in the series did: with the Giants taking a 2-0 lead. A leadoff single by Nori Aoki, a disputed infield hit by Panik and a walk to old friend Angel Pagan loaded the bases for the lethal Buster Posey, who delivered a sharp single to right. Justin Maxwell’s double-play grounder plated San Francisco’s second run. Niese settled down after that and Lincecum was imperturbable, not allowing a hit until the fourth, when Travis d’Arnaud dunked an RBI single. Lincecum came undone in the fifth, allowing a double to Niese, a game tying sac fly to Lucas Duda and an RBI two-bagger by Cuddyer. The Mets suddenly had an unlikely 3-2 lead.
In the top of sixth, the Giants stomped right back. With two out, Justin Maxwell hit a big hopper to third that Eric Campbell couldn’t corral. Brandon Crawford followed with a long homerun to right field and the Giants had the lead once again. In the seventh, the Mets tied it up on a surprise double from Darrell Cecilliani — pinch hitting for Niese — and a super-clutch single by Granderson. Erik Goeddel stifled the Giants in the eighth, Jeurys Familia handled the ninth without incident.
In the bottom of the ninth, Granderson led off by getting flicked with a pitch. With Juan Lagaers batting, a rare passed ball by Posey sent Granderson to second. Lagares then moved him to third, with a productive grounder to Panik. Duda was intentionally walked, setting the stage for Cuddyer’s heroics.
It sure beats getting swept.
Not only did they avoid the sweep but the Brewers came back and beat the Nats.
First Place again!
Niese allowed only 2 earned runs in 7 innings and 97 pitches. The defense seems to hurt Niese and then Niese seems to then hurt himself. Colon has a winning record the past two years with a higher ERA because he doesn’t allow that to happen.
TdA in the line up has been a noticeable improvement.
Cuddyer, under the circumstances, has become an important piece in that his success or failure this season may also be the Mets success or failure. Chalked one up in the success column tonight.
I know that Colon’s run support has been outstanding — it certainly was last season — and that has contributed mightily to his perceived success.
As a groundball pitcher, Niese has been hurt more than any other pitcher by the Mets poor infield defense. I always think of Zack Wheeler, who was spared pitching in front of that D this season; it would have been a struggle.
But, yes, Niese’s mental toughness has been an issue throughout his career. This season, he’s been asked to overcome a lot. I don’t know how to find those numbers, how many errors behind each pitcher, but my perception is that it’s been much worse for Niese than for Bartolo.
If you have the Baseball-Reference Play Index, you can find that pretty easy.
Niese has had nine errors behind him this year while Colon has had five. But considering the huge discrepancy in their GB% — that’s to be expected.
Ideally the Mets would like to trade Gee, Niese or Colon and bring up Matz.
You can’t always get what you want. If teams won’t give you the value you want for these players then why not include Syndergaard in a trade for Tulo. Being “stuck” with Niese as your 5th starter is not the worst option. Having an infield of Duda-Flores-Tulo-Murphy would be an improved infield. Tulo’s salary may be supplemented by the Wright insurance for 2015 and covered by Colon and Murphy’s departure in 2016. A pennant in 2015 may even turn a larger profit for the Wilpon’s.
I dont get why so many met fans love tulo. To be honest flores ie putting up similar numbers. Tulo is older, injury prone, and will cost a ton
.698 OPS, .304 wOBA, 95 wRC+
.842 OPS, .359 wOBA 111 wRC+
Posey wasn’t catching; he was playing 1st. base.
Oooops. Forgot that part.
It just strikes me as bizarre that the narrative today — all over the blogosphere — is that Niese doesn’t pick up his teammates.
Whereas I think, two unearned runs because Eric Campbell is not a Major League baseball player. Yet there he is, again, playing 3B for the Mets. He can’t field.
The team is run by a GM who openly does not believe in defense. Yet somehow this comes back to Niese.
Bottom line: this game saved the Mets season. With the Nationals sliding (which will probably end this weekend), the Mets had to show that they are not a complete charity case.
After the worse-case-scenario happened (the no-hitter) matters got even worse with Harvey giving up a lead. This game showed that the Mets still have fight. This win was easily the biggest of the season thus far.
60 ‘ish games in, this team is playing pretty much to the theme in which it was assembled… They pitch extraordinarily well, and they don’t do much of anything else.
A quick solution of getting talent back from DL is helpful…Herrera and d’Arnaud—and I am losing most expectation for Wright. A LH Power Bench/platoon bat would help— Moreland type from Texas???
That could make the team good enough for playoffs….but they are actually closer to something bigger–they have two impact Starting Pitchers and a Killshot Closer.
The team needs a very big trade and a change in direction for positional players. A Professional Shortstop and a very good bat are needed—I believe everyone should be “on the table” except Famiglia, deGrom, Harvey, and d’Arnaud.
Syndergaard, Cecchini, Nimmo, Lagares for Gomez, Braun, Segura, makes sense right now
All four runs were Campbell’s fault. Any normal major league third baseman makes that play, and 96% of Beer League softball players.
Personally I can’t believe Niese has not went off on these guys publicly. The amount of plays not being made behind him is a joke and he deserves better. Any pitcher does.
Defense matters.
As a friend of mine commented today, Eric Campbell is Mike Baxter without the catch.
Maybe, just maybe, Sandyman practicing patience will work out.
An infield of Duda 1b, Herrera 2b, Flores ss, Murphy 3b and d’Arnaud at C just maybe enough to keep the Mets battling with Nats for first through the All Star Break. Keeping the young gun P’s is the best move for the organization going forward, no doubt. However, if another bat can be gotten in July for the playoff push, it would be ideal. I like Zobrist the best as he can play most anywhere as needed, spell anyone in the INF and either corner OF spot.
Could sending either Niese, Gee, or even Montero + a minor leaguer do that trade ? I guess with Niese or Gee, the Mets would have to send A’s $$$, and that is not something you see often from the Coupons’.