METS HELD SCORELESS AGAINJERRY'S BAD LINE-UP, BAY'S STRUGGLES LEAD TO LOSS
For the second game in a row the Mets faced a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher, and did so without their most dynamic player in the lineup. Not coincidentally, for the second straight game they failed to score a run. On Thursday Tim Lincecum threw a six-hit shutout and on Friday Barry Zito produced eight masterful innings, striking out 10 and limiting the Mets to only two hits and two walks as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Mets, 1-0, at AT&T Park. Certainly it would always be a challenge for the Mets against pitchers of that caliber, but the consensus, from the manager to the players, was that more needed to be done to support their own pitchers, who have also pitched well enough to win in their last two games. On Friday, Jon Niese allowed only one run on a fielder’s choice, but it wasn’t enough to outdo Zito. “Cy Young yesterday, Cy Young today,” Carlos Beltran said. “Those guys know what they are doing. But at the same time, we need to push a little harder.” The Mets have managed just nine hits in their last two games here, and their last run came in the eighth inning of Sunday’s victory over the Braves at Citi Field. Zito, with the help of a staggering curveball that repeatedly froze and confused the Mets hitters, struck out 10, tying his season high, and allowed only two hits and two walks in eight innings, facing only three batters over the minimum. Then the hard-throwing closer Brian Wilson earned the save in the ninth by striking out Beltran, who was playing in just his second game of the season after knee surgery, on a full-count 97-mile-per-hour fastball. That left David Wright on first base, which Wright had reached on a two-out single — only the Mets’ third hit. Zito, who hadn’t won since June 12, has still been dominant in this stadium, improving to 6-1 with a 2.51 earned run average. But again, the Mets felt they should have done more against him, and after the game Manager Jerry Manuel expressed his displeasure at the lack of offensive production. “You could say the guy pitched real well,” Manuel said. “But at some point we have to unlock this offense a little bit. We have to be a little bit more consistent offensively. I didn’t see us have very many opportunities, or very many good swings. We have to do a better job of that.” With Jose Reyes still out of the lineup nursing a sore oblique muscle on his right side, and Angel Pagan sitting in favor of Jeff Francoeur against the left-handed Zito, Manuel fashioned an ad hoc lineup that featured Jason Bay batting in the No. 2 spot in the order for only the second time in his career, while the backup shortstop Ruben Tejada led off. “It is a little tough right now to get that lineup exactly like you want it,” Manuel said before the game, “trying to juggle different things here and there.” The juggling could have become comical if the Mets had managed to score in the ninth inning. Without Reyes for at least two more games, Manuel didn’t have a backup infielder. To make up for the deficiency the Mets optioned Nick Evans back to the minors before Friday’s game and called up middle infielder Justin Turner from Class AAA Buffalo. Turner pinch hit for Alex Cora in the eighth inning and then Chris Carter pinch hit for Tejada in the ninth. So if the Mets had scored, Wright would have moved to shortstop in the bottom of the ninth and catcher Henry Blanco would have played third base. On Thursday Reyes had been told by the Mets’ medical staff not to do anything until he was free of discomfort. He arrived Friday saying he felt much the same as he did on Thursday, but the Mets decided to have him take some swings in the indoor batting cage to see how he felt. Reyes emerged after taking 30 swings in front of Manuel and General Manager Omar Minaya and reported, “I feel good.” So he took regular batting practice from both sides of the plate, and now the team hopes he might be able to play Sunday, although Manuel said Monday in Arizona was more likely. “With or without Jose we got to find a way to win,” Wright said. “I don’t know when he’s coming back. Hopefully soon, but until then we’ve got to find a way to score some runs and get some offense going.” (NY Times)
For the second game in a row the Mets faced a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher, and did so without their most dynamic player in the lineup. Not coincidentally, for the second straight game they failed to score a run. On Thursday Tim Lincecum threw a six-hit shutout and on Friday Barry Zito produced eight masterful innings, striking out 10 and limiting the Mets to only two hits and two walks as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Mets, 1-0, at AT&T Park. Certainly it would always be a challenge for the Mets against pitchers of that caliber, but the consensus, from the manager to the players, was that more needed to be done to support their own pitchers, who have also pitched well enough to win in their last two games. On Friday, Jon Niese allowed only one run on a fielder’s choice, but it wasn’t enough to outdo Zito. “Cy Young yesterday, Cy Young today,” Carlos Beltran said. “Those guys know what they are doing. But at the same time, we need to push a little harder.” The Mets have managed just nine hits in their last two games here, and their last run came in the eighth inning of Sunday’s victory over the Braves at Citi Field. Zito, with the help of a staggering curveball that repeatedly froze and confused the Mets hitters, struck out 10, tying his season high, and allowed only two hits and two walks in eight innings, facing only three batters over the minimum. Then the hard-throwing closer Brian Wilson earned the save in the ninth by striking out Beltran, who was playing in just his second game of the season after knee surgery, on a full-count 97-mile-per-hour fastball. That left David Wright on first base, which Wright had reached on a two-out single — only the Mets’ third hit. Zito, who hadn’t won since June 12, has still been dominant in this stadium, improving to 6-1 with a 2.51 earned run average. But again, the Mets felt they should have done more against him, and after the game Manager Jerry Manuel expressed his displeasure at the lack of offensive production. “You could say the guy pitched real well,” Manuel said. “But at some point we have to unlock this offense a little bit. We have to be a little bit more consistent offensively. I didn’t see us have very many opportunities, or very many good swings. We have to do a better job of that.” With Jose Reyes still out of the lineup nursing a sore oblique muscle on his right side, and Angel Pagan sitting in favor of Jeff Francoeur against the left-handed Zito, Manuel fashioned an ad hoc lineup that featured Jason Bay batting in the No. 2 spot in the order for only the second time in his career, while the backup shortstop Ruben Tejada led off. “It is a little tough right now to get that lineup exactly like you want it,” Manuel said before the game, “trying to juggle different things here and there.” The juggling could have become comical if the Mets had managed to score in the ninth inning. Without Reyes for at least two more games, Manuel didn’t have a backup infielder. To make up for the deficiency the Mets optioned Nick Evans back to the minors before Friday’s game and called up middle infielder Justin Turner from Class AAA Buffalo. Turner pinch hit for Alex Cora in the eighth inning and then Chris Carter pinch hit for Tejada in the ninth. So if the Mets had scored, Wright would have moved to shortstop in the bottom of the ninth and catcher Henry Blanco would have played third base. On Thursday Reyes had been told by the Mets’ medical staff not to do anything until he was free of discomfort. He arrived Friday saying he felt much the same as he did on Thursday, but the Mets decided to have him take some swings in the indoor batting cage to see how he felt. Reyes emerged after taking 30 swings in front of Manuel and General Manager Omar Minaya and reported, “I feel good.” So he took regular batting practice from both sides of the plate, and now the team hopes he might be able to play Sunday, although Manuel said Monday in Arizona was more likely. “With or without Jose we got to find a way to win,” Wright said. “I don’t know when he’s coming back. Hopefully soon, but until then we’ve got to find a way to score some runs and get some offense going.” (NY Times)
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