A COMPLETE GAME IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLESANTANA LAUNCHES 1ST CAREER HOME RUN IN 12-PITCH AT-BAT, TOSSES COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT IN BIG APPLE CLASSIC
Johan Santana was determined to do it all Tuesday night. The Mets' ace pitched a three-hit shutout and hit his first home run to beat the Reds, 3-0, in the sweltering heat at Citi Field. Santana had runners on first and second with one out in the top of the ninth when manager Jerry Manuel walked to the mound to the sound of boos. Barking at his manager, Santana quickly convinced Manuel to turn around without calling for mercurial closer Francisco Rodriguez. Two pitches later, a diving grab by Ike Davis and a forceout at second, Santana had his first shutout since Sept. 27, 2008, when he beat the Marlins, 2-0. Santana seemed to be thriving in the heat that stifled Citi Field. It was 96 degrees and humid when he threw the first pitch at 7:11 p.m., but as others wilted, Santana was as strong as he has been all season. He walked just three and struck out five to earn his sixth win of the season and first in four starts. Santana threw 113 pitches. The three hits tied the fewest he has given up this season. Santana, who had just one victory over his last seven starts going into Tuesday night's game, had not gotten much run support this season. In his previous 17 starts, the Mets has scored 41 runs, which tied him for third-lowest among National League pitchers with at least 17 starts. Facing Matt Maloney, who was called up from Triple-A Tuesday to replace Aaron Harang, Santana battled through a 12-pitch at-bat in the third inning to give the Mets their first run. His two-out shot, off an 79-mile an hour changeup, hit off the right-field foul pole and dropped back onto the field. It was the first home run by a Mets pitcher since 2007, when John Maine hit one July 24 off Pirates' pitcher Ian Snell. As thrilled as Santana was with his first home run - he answered a curtain call after the shot with a big smile - the Mets have to be happy about him making his second straight solid start. Santana, who said last month that he was still overcoming mechanical problems that surfaced because of an elbow injury last season, is 2-3 in his last eight starts. From June10 to June 26, Santana had allowed four or more earned runs in four straight games for the first time in his career. After a week in which he addressed reports that he had been investigated for rape over the offseason and admitted that he still did not feel 100% back to form from offseason elbow surgery, Santana had rebounded with a solid start last Thursday in D.C. The Mets, however, managed only one run in Santana's last start and he received a no-decision in the loss. Tuesday night, the Mets gave Santana a little more room to work in sixth inning as Jason Bay's two-run single gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. Jose Reyes was back in the lineup for the first time since injuring his right oblique muscle June 29. As planned, he batted righthanded, which he said he was prepared to do even against righthanders. He went 2-for-4 with a run scored. In the top of the ninth, Santana gave up a one-out single to Scott Rolen. Jay Bruce got on when Bay missed a fly ball, breaking his streak of 263 straight games without an error dating back to Aug. 17, 2008. Davis made a diving grab of Jonny Gomes' line drive for the second out, and then Santana got Drew Stubbs to ground into a force out to finish off the night. (NY Daily News)
Johan Santana was determined to do it all Tuesday night. The Mets' ace pitched a three-hit shutout and hit his first home run to beat the Reds, 3-0, in the sweltering heat at Citi Field. Santana had runners on first and second with one out in the top of the ninth when manager Jerry Manuel walked to the mound to the sound of boos. Barking at his manager, Santana quickly convinced Manuel to turn around without calling for mercurial closer Francisco Rodriguez. Two pitches later, a diving grab by Ike Davis and a forceout at second, Santana had his first shutout since Sept. 27, 2008, when he beat the Marlins, 2-0. Santana seemed to be thriving in the heat that stifled Citi Field. It was 96 degrees and humid when he threw the first pitch at 7:11 p.m., but as others wilted, Santana was as strong as he has been all season. He walked just three and struck out five to earn his sixth win of the season and first in four starts. Santana threw 113 pitches. The three hits tied the fewest he has given up this season. Santana, who had just one victory over his last seven starts going into Tuesday night's game, had not gotten much run support this season. In his previous 17 starts, the Mets has scored 41 runs, which tied him for third-lowest among National League pitchers with at least 17 starts. Facing Matt Maloney, who was called up from Triple-A Tuesday to replace Aaron Harang, Santana battled through a 12-pitch at-bat in the third inning to give the Mets their first run. His two-out shot, off an 79-mile an hour changeup, hit off the right-field foul pole and dropped back onto the field. It was the first home run by a Mets pitcher since 2007, when John Maine hit one July 24 off Pirates' pitcher Ian Snell. As thrilled as Santana was with his first home run - he answered a curtain call after the shot with a big smile - the Mets have to be happy about him making his second straight solid start. Santana, who said last month that he was still overcoming mechanical problems that surfaced because of an elbow injury last season, is 2-3 in his last eight starts. From June10 to June 26, Santana had allowed four or more earned runs in four straight games for the first time in his career. After a week in which he addressed reports that he had been investigated for rape over the offseason and admitted that he still did not feel 100% back to form from offseason elbow surgery, Santana had rebounded with a solid start last Thursday in D.C. The Mets, however, managed only one run in Santana's last start and he received a no-decision in the loss. Tuesday night, the Mets gave Santana a little more room to work in sixth inning as Jason Bay's two-run single gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. Jose Reyes was back in the lineup for the first time since injuring his right oblique muscle June 29. As planned, he batted righthanded, which he said he was prepared to do even against righthanders. He went 2-for-4 with a run scored. In the top of the ninth, Santana gave up a one-out single to Scott Rolen. Jay Bruce got on when Bay missed a fly ball, breaking his streak of 263 straight games without an error dating back to Aug. 17, 2008. Davis made a diving grab of Jonny Gomes' line drive for the second out, and then Santana got Drew Stubbs to ground into a force out to finish off the night. (NY Daily News)
No comments:
Post a Comment