Those Mets

IN ROD WE TRUST

Rod Barajas has been a most welcome addition for the Mets, with his skills and savvy behind the plate and his timely power while standing next to it. His presence in the Mets’ lineup was even more pleasing Tuesday night, when Barajas’s meaty power helped erase the results of what could have been a costly decision by Manager Jerry Manuel. Manuel had gone to the bullpen workhorse Fernando Nieve for the third consecutive day in the bottom of the eighth, even after Nieve had pitched two innings the night before, and the Cincinnati Reds tagged him for back-to-back home runs with two outs to tie the score. The Mets regained the lead in the top of the ninth when Barajas hit a two-out solo home run off closer Francisco Cordero, and they held on for an uplifting 5-4 victory that ended their losing streak at three games. The home run was Barajas’s team-high seventh of the season, and it was the fourth that either tied the score or gave the Mets the lead. “He’s been impressive in that manner,” said Manuel, who added that Barajas had had key hits in the past. “He has definitely continued that trend since he’s been here. He’s hit some big ones.” David Wright also hit a long home run, into the second deck in left field, to tie the score, 2-2, in the fourth inning. The Mets added a pair of runs in the sixth, which would have given John Maine the victory if the bullpen had held on. Instead, the game was ultimately decided by a good guess from Barajas. Barajas had caught Cordero in Texas from 2004 to 2006, and he knows as well as anyone that Cordero relies heavily on his fastball and slider. In the ninth inning Tuesday, Cordero got two quick outs, and Barajas predicted that he would come back with a fastball on the first pitch. “I got myself ready,” Barajas said, “and was hoping he’d throw one somewhere where I could handle it.” Cordero did, and Barajas handled it over the wall in left field as a smattering of Mets fans at the Great American Ball Park could be heard cheering above the silenced home fans. With that one swing, Barajas salvaged what only a few minutes before was shaping up as a potentially devastating defeat. With a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, Manuel chose to use the right-handed Nieve, who has been so reliable for him. Manuel said the plan was to use Nieve if he warmed up at all, but to take him out if one of the first two batters reached base. He would then have been replaced by the left-hander Pedro Feliciano to face the left-handed-hitting Joey Votto. But Nieve got the first two outs, so Manuel stuck with him. Votto hit a first-pitch fastball over the fence. Then Scott Rolen, a right-handed hitter, hit a 1-1 fastball over the fence in right-center field. Nieve, who began the day tied for the major league lead in appearances and now has 17, refused to blame fatigue. “I’m good,” he said. “I just threw too many fastballs. But I got the first two outs, and I just tried to get ahead, but the balls were over the middle.” The Rolen home run was reviewed because it bounced off a fan and back into the field of play, but the call was upheld. Afterward, Manuel made all the right bullpen moves. He brought in Feliciano, who needed only two pitches to get Jay Bruce out to earn the win. In the bottom of the ninth, closer Francisco Rodriguez retired the side in order for his fourth save. Some decisions are automatic. Maine started and pitched well, allowing two runs — one earned — on four hits and two walks. He struck out six. Three weeks ago, Maine was confused, frustrated and in jeopardy of losing his place in the rotation because of uncertainty about his fastball. As recently as 11 days ago, more doubt was cast on his status as Maine was forced from a game with a mysterious injury afflicting his left (nonthrowing) elbow. Since then, Maine has regained his fastball as well as his self-confidence. In his last three starts, Maine is 2-0 with a 2.30 earned run average, although he said more work needed to be done. “It’s getting there,” he said. (NY Times)