Marlins rookie LH Sean West(5-5,4.44) pitched 6 strong innings while 1B Ross Gload drove in the winning run in the 5th with a single, leading the wild card contending Florida Marlins over the crippled New York Mets 2-1 Tuesday night at Land Shark Stadium in Miami. Fill in starter Nelson Figueroa(1-3) was the hard loser for the Mets, going 5 innings filling in for Mets ace LH Johan Santana, who will miss the remainder of the 2009 campaign with bone chips in his elbow. RF Jeff Francoeur, playing with a torn ligament in his thumb, had two doubles to pace the Mets offense.
The Mets scored in the 4th vs. West when Francoeur doubled and 3B Fernando Tatis singled him in. West(5-5,4.44) pitched well for the Marlins, throwing 6 frames and allowing only 6 hits. He allowed only that run while walking 3 and striking out 2. The strong Florida pen baffled the Mets with three power arms that allowed only 1 hit. RH Brian Sanches(1 IP,5 holds), ex-Met RH Matt Lindstrom(1 IP,4 holds) and finally new closer RH Leo Nunez got the final out for his 15 save n 19 chance.
Figueroa, one of the good guys in the sport, had the Mets in a position to succeed but the roster as currently comprised cannot compete. The veteran swing man allowed 4 hits and 2 runs while K-ing 2. He threw 78 pitches(50 strikes) and was 11 for 21 on first pitch strikes. Florida plated their 1st run with the help of two errors from rookie 1B Daniel Murphy, allowing two runners to advance on the play. 2B Dan Uggla then scored SS Hanley Ramirez with a fielders choice grounder to make it 1-1 in the 4th.
Florida used some small ball to score the winning run in the 5th. RF Jeremy Hermida singled to lead off the frame and was bunted to 2nd by West. After Figueroa retired the next hitter, Gload singled to center for the decisive run. The Mets starter has the right attitude,“I don’t know who’s left,” Figueroa said. “I’m just going to take every opportunity I get. It’s unfortunate the way it’s come to me. You never want to see somebody go down. I keep saying that, the last two years, it’s been a countless number of guys go down.”
Star of the Game: Francoeur- The gritty, blood and guts type of player that this team needs. Team is so done they are in the oven and this guy is playing with a torn ligament in his thumb! Would have Jeff Francoeur in a fox hole with me, ANYTIME! “At this point, you might as well get all the injuries out of the way this season and have everybody have their surgery this offseason and next year we go through the season with nobody hurt and just roll and go to the playoffs,” Francoeur said.
Mets starting line-up:
1- CF Angel Pagan
2- 2B Luis Castillo
3- LF Gary Sheffield
4- RF Jeff Francoeur
5- 3B Fernando Tatis
6- 1B Daniel Murphy
7- C Omir Santos
8- SS Anderson Hernandez
9- Pitcher
Game Notes: Set up man J.J Putz is out for the season after being scratched from his rehab start at Single A Brooklyn. He had issues with his right forearm …. According to the Boston Globe, one of the two players the Mets acquired for Billy Wagner is 1B-OF Chris Carterwho was hitting .279 with 14 homers and 59 RBI(.340 OBP). The 26 yr old is known for his power and ability to get on base. His defense needs work… Sheffield left the game in the 7th with a cramp in his back. Cory Sullivan took his place… LH SP Oliver Perez has flown back to have his ailing knee re-examined.. The Mets have 12 players on the DL currently. “I’ll take my problems,” Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said when asked to compare his team’s injuries to the Mets.
Next Game:
Wednesday, Game 2 of 3 at the Marlins and Land Shark Stadium
7:10 pm
Mets RH Mike Pelfrey(9-8,4.67) vs. Marlins RH Josh Johnson(12-3,2.99)
