Normally when you score seven, five, four, and five runs in a four game series, you’re looking to pull at least one or two wins away. Not the Philadelphia Phillies. They had the unfortunate task of taking on the hottest team in baseball. But it wasn’t always so. From June 30th to July 4th the Mets scored six runs in six games. They haven’t scored less than six runs in any of their last four games, the reason for the Philadelphia sweep. And the last time the Mets scored less than four runs was 12 days ago. The offensive explosion that has taken place over the past month have been nothing short of historic.
On Thursday night the Mets added three more home runs to their already franchise-leading 40 hit this month. They still have four more games to play in August, including another one versus the Phillies. But enough about the offense, how about that Carlos Torres/Daniel Murphy play in the 10th inning! A comedy of errors mixed with a beautiful ballet, the ricochet off Torres, which Murphy gobbled up just in time to make a backhanded toss back to Torres for the 1-3-1 putout, had announcer Gary Cohen in awe. It finally feels like all the things that went wrong early in the season, are finally starting to go right. The team hasn’t won like this in over a decade. September can be a notoriously long month, but this club seems determined to start it off well.
MVP of the series is Hector Neris. The Mets scored 40 runs in the series… and Neris was responsible for 10 of them. He gave up the go ahead run in 3 of the 4 games, and took the loss in 2 of them.
NY Met Fans unite!!
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Until last night, I had no idea that Carlos Torres was the fastest guy on the team. I was glad to see him join the party.
And, of course, Murphy is playing out of his mind.
I love Carlos Torres. He represents found money, picked up at trifling cost after the Rocks deemed him expendable. He has a full array of decent offerings; he will work any time in any role. He has been very valuable to the Mets for three seasons now; without a guy like Torres, much of the work of the headline starters would go to waste. Plus, as you mention he is a good athlete, and he is articulate, one of the best interviews on the team.
What’s not to love? And btw, do you think maybe the Rockies could find places on their roster for Carlos and Colin McHugh?
I like Carlos Torres too. He’s done a great job for the Mets over the past three years. It doesn’t matter to me how we got him or what he costs. He plays hard.
This season he has had too many games where he’s come into the game with nothing. I don’t know why that is, age or over-use or whatever. Last night he had a vibe to him, a look of determination, that I haven’t seen for a while. I think he was pissed about his poor one-batter performance the night before.
Right now, he’s fighting for his play on the post-season roster. I’ll be rooting for him. Another guy on this team that is very easy to like.
Still ahead by 6 1/2 games and applying the pressure to the Nats to keep winning. The bullpen did not have Clippard (unfortunately) and Oh-No (fortunately) available. I would have thought with the bench that a double switch could have gotten some extra innings in a tie game for Verritt and Robles. Then again, Torres would not have gotten the kick save and a beaut or the lead off hit. Things are just working out. Cespedes is an offensive force to be reckoned with. Kelly Johnson is a good veteran role player. TDA is just a piece to rely on instead of an offensive leader to depend on. Offense is Fun ! Nice job Sandy.
Boston this weekend. Let’s party like it is 1986!
Agree on the double-switch, I thought the time to do it was when Verrett came in, could have switched out Johnson for Flores. Fully expected Verrett to go three innings in that spot.
But maybe Terry has other plans for him beyond long man.
The joke my friend and I keep telling each other is: “It doesn’t matter what Terry does, they win anyway.”
I will say this. The vibe on this team, the sense of purpose — of united purpose — is a credit to the manager. He’s doing something right.
Mets are 12-1 against the Phillies with six games remaining against them.
The Torres/Murphy play was the one that rightfully gets the highlights. But the biggest sequence was when Gilmartin didn’t get the strike call. I don’t recall seeing a replay of that pitch but it didn’t even look particularly close. Then the batter clubbed a ball that was inches away from hitting the fair pole.
If this game happened in June, that ball would have hit a last-second wind current that made it fair. It’s nice to be a good team and dodge some tough calls.