The offensively challenged NY Mets(45-51) banged out 12 hits and homered 3 times to support promising youngster Jonathan Niese, who threw 7 strong innings, leading them to a 10-3 win over the Houston Astros(50-47) Saturday night at Minute Maid Park in Texas. RF Jeff Francoeur homered and drove in 4 runs, while C Omir Santos and 3B David Wright added homers. The Mets jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st and never looked back, entering the 9th with a 10-1 spread. The win stops a 3 game skid for NY, who lost 6 of 8, averaging 1.5 runs a game in the defeats.
Niese gave a struggling team a huge lift and was outstanding from pitch 1. He made 2 starts for the Mets in May but in his 6th major league start he resembled a polished veteran. He allowed only 4 hits over 7 innings and 1 run, while striking out 3 and walking 2. He threw a 106 pitches with 70 strikes and his spilts(13/5) weighed towards ground balls over fly outs. The big lefty intends to make his stay with the Mets permanent. ”Every time I come back, I try to stay as long as I possibly can,” he said. “I just tried to go back to my Triple-A starts and remember what I did and how I had success there.” Over his last 7 starts in the minors, he went 5-0 with a 0.72 ERA.
NY jumped on Astros starter Russ Ortiz(3-5,4.75) for 3 big runs in the 1st. 1B Daniel Murphy doubled in a run, while LF Cory Sullivan(single) and Francoeur adding rbi. Hosuton answered with a run in the first after future hall of famer, C Pudge Rodriquez drove in a run with a single. The Mets added a run in the 4th with an out but Francoeur put the game on ice with a huge 3 run shot to left in the 5th, putting NY up 7-1. Santos homered in the 6th while underrated 2B Luis Castillo(.301,23 rbi, 52 runs) drove home CF Angel Pagan with a single in the same inning.
Another good sign in the 9th, as the franchise- struggling 3B Wright, hitting .222 since the all star break, homered for the first time since June 30th. The bomb was his first in 75 at bats and gives him 6 on the year after hitting 30 the past tow seasons. Closer Francisco Rodriquez pitched the 9th for some work, allowing a 2 run homer to Astros star RF Hunter Pence with a runner on. However, K _Rod struck out ex Met Jeff Keppinger to secure a nice team win for NY, 10-3.
Star of the Game: Niese- Hopefully, the first of many big performances from this youngster. This kid should get starts the rest of the 2009 season to prepare him for 2010.
Sheffield Update: Veteran OF Gary Sheffield was final placed on the DL Saturday with a strained right hamstring to allow the team to recall Niese. The club leader in homer with 10, Sheffield has hit .286 with 36 rbi in 75 games since being claimed off waivers from the Detroit Tigers. He took several strong swings in batting practice, even hitting several home runs but with the Mets injury situation and history, the club choose to be cautious with the veteran.“I don’t feel it,” Sheffield said. “I don’t feel it when I run, I don’t feel it when I do anything. I’m not going to say this is a ‘phantom’ DL or whatever. Nobody knows when it comes to a hamstring. You can think you’re ready, and go out there and it might be longer when you do it again.” Sheffield joins Mets stars SS Jose Reyes, 1B Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran among the 10 players on the DL.
Mets starting line-up:
1- CF Angel Pagan
2- 2B Luis Castillo
3- 3B David Wright
4- 1B Daniel Murphy
5- RF Jeff Francoeur
6- LF Cory Sullivan
7- C Omir Santos
8- SS Alex Cora
9- Pitcher
Game Notes: Amazingly, The Mets hit double figures in runs for only the 3rd time in 2009…. SP John Maine will meet with famed orthopedic surgeon Dr, James Andrews Wednesday to get a 2nd opinion on his injured right shoulder. He has been on t he DL since June 7th and ran into some issues this week after pitching a simulated game…. 5 Mets had 2 hits a piece with CF Angel Pagan, 2B Luis Castillo, Murphy, Francoeur and Santos all reaching double figures…. Club turned 2 double plays…Sunday’s game concludes a 9 game road trip and the Mets return to NY for a 10 game home stand Monday.. Niese replaced SP Fernando Nieve, who tore a muscle in his thigh last Sunday night… The Mets have scored 5 runs or more only 6 times in their past 21 contests… SS Alex Cora returned for the first time since July 21st after re-injuring his thumb last week. He went 0 for 4.
Next Game:
Sunday, series conclusion vs the Astros at Houston’s Minute Maid Park
2:05
Mets RH Livan Hernandez(6-5,5.09) vs. Astros RH Brian Moehler(7-5,4.81)
