Back up middle infielder Eric Bruntlett made a game changing historic play helping the world champion Philadelphia Phillies defeat the game New York Mets 9-7 Sunday afternoon at Citi-Field. Bruntlett, playing 2nd in place of Phillies all star Chase Utley, caught a line drive from Mets RF Jeff Francoeur with two runners in motion to convert only the 15th unassisted triple play in major league history. . “I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t know what to do,” Bruntlett said. “The ninth inning was wild. The whole game it seemed was strange.” The game ending play has happened one other time in the history of baseball, May 31,1927. 1B Daniel Murphy and 2B Luis Castillo led NY with 2 hits apiece.
In a game that saw an amazing amount of strange plays, one thing just plain stunk- Mets LH SP Oliver Perez(3-4,6.82). He was awful and unwatchable. Mets GM Omar Minaya should lose his job for giving this mess a contract extension(3 yrs/36 million). The Mets alledged #3 starter could not get 3 outs Sunday,1-2-3!!!! His mananger, who clearly understands ending cruel and unusual punishment, pulled Perez when he went 3-0 to the other teams STARTING PITCHER!!!! Olie allowed 2 3 run homers(RF Jayson Werth and C Carlos Ruiz) and was pulled without getting in a full inning of work. Perez’ damage: 2/3 of an inning, 4 hits and 6 runs allowed. He did not strike out a batter and walked 2, while throwing 47 pitches.(27 strikes) Just a disaster today and a disaster when Omar caved and gave him a deal. AWFUL.
As bad as Perez was, the Mets long relief corps did a great job and allowed for the team to mount a rally. Veteran RH Nelson Figueroa(2 1/3, 2 runs allowed), LH Pat Misch(4 shutout innings), RH Sean Green(1 inning,1 run) and finally, RH Elmer Dessens(1 inning) kept the Phillies from running away with the game. That was key with ex Met Pedro Martinez(2-0,5.14), who is attempting a comeback from numerous arm issues, starting for the Phillies.
The Mets, even without 4 major star players, collected some hits off of Martinez who went 6 innings, allowing 7 hits and 4 runs. CF Angel Pagan was credit with an inside the park home run to lead off the game as his gap shot was stuck under the fence in left center and Phillies CF Shane Victorino asked for time to be call. Umpire Rob Drake allowed the play to stand and Pagan ran home for the homer. Charlie Manuel said the issue wasn’t covered when the umpires went over ground rules before the game.”They never talked about that,” he said.
The Mets pecked away with another run in the 1st(Francoeur rbi triple) & 2 more in the 3rd(Pagan legit homer, LF Cory Sullivan ground out). Murphy’s 7th inning single and SS Anderson Hernandez’ 8th inning rbi double made it 9-6 Phillies, Settting the stage for an exciting 9th.
Phillies closer Brad Lidge(0-5,6.90,25 saves in 33 chances) , who has had an up and down season, entered the game to open the bottom of the 9th. Pagan was safe on an error by 1B Ryan Howard & reached 3rd on the play. Castillo then hit a grounder to Brunlett for another erro to score Pagan. Amazingly, Murphy then beat out an infield hit to 2nd and the Mets had the winning run at the plate. The crowd rose and Citi-Field was alive, only to see Bruntlett snag Francoeur’s smash to second, stepping on 2nd and tagging Murphy for only the 2nd game ending triple play in ML history.“Frenchy hit it on the screws,” Murphy said. “It happened so fast there was nothing I could do.”The Phillies closer had a great take as well, ”What a bizarre ending. I don’t know what happened there. The game’s over, so I’m happy with that,” Lidge said. “That was pretty exciting. That’s definitely not the way you draw it up.”
Star of the Game: Pagan- Huge godsend for this battered and beaten club. Should definitely have a role on this team in ’10.
Mets starting line-up:
1- CF Angel Pagan
2-2B Luis Castillo
3- 1B Daniel Murphy
4- RF Jeff Francoeur
5- LF Cory Sullivan
6- 3B Fernando Tatis
7- C Brian Schneider
8- SS Anderson Hernandez
9- Pitcher
Little thing goes a long way: Phillies manager Charlie Manuel got ejected in the 8th for arguing for Bruntlett on a umpire reversed Ftrap play catch from Francoeur. Looked like a meaningless play but when you play for someone and see them fight for you, that counts for a lot.
Game Notes: 3B David Wright plans to return from the DL on schedule Tuesday in Colorado from his head injury…OF Gary Sheffield did not start the game with a minor wrist injury. He pinch hit in the 8th and flied out….CF Carlos Beltran reports he has no pain in right knee after doing running for the past 2 weeks. Still no timetable on when he wll be cleared to run bases and advance to a rehab assignment in the minors… Francoeur appeared to injure his thumb with the disputed diving catch in the 8th, he was getting tests post game
Next Game:
Monday, 4 game series finale vs. the Phillies at Citi-Field
1:10 pm
Mets RH Bobby Parnell(3-5,4.74) vs. Phillies LH Cliff Lee(11-9,2.72)
