Game 1: Phillies 7 Mets 5
Jon Niese vs Joe Blanton
So I was probably the only person on the planet who was still semi-optimistic that the Mets could go on a winning streak and fight for a playoff spot. I thought they just might start that winning streak tonight in Philadelphia. I know looking at these last two sentences I've just typed even I can admit I am a foolish silly dreamer who really needs to get her head out of the clouds. And for much of this game I really thought this believing in the Mets thing I just can't stop doing was going to pay off. Jonathon Niese struggled in this one early on but by the bottom of the 8th the Mets were up 2-1. He pitched a Santana kind of a game. Niese gave up a 2 out rbi double to Polanco in the first inning and although he later in this same inning walked Ben Francisco to load the bases for Carlos Ruiz he somehow struck Carlos out and well this scary inning was over and the Phillies were only up 1-0 over the Metsies.
And then the Mets tied this game up in the top of the 3rd. Frenchy led off with a single. Then Castillo for some stupid reason sac bunted so Jeff would be on 2nd with 1 out for Niese. I know Jon is a pretty decent hitter for a pitcher but seriously what are the Mets thinking having Luis bunt in this situation! It just didn't make sense to me. Niese then grounded out and it was up to Jose Jose Jose to tie this game on up and he did! Reyes singled, Frenchy scored and well it was a 1-1 game and I was just happy as can be. I guess it's a problem that I'm just satisfied lately when the Mets can score a run to tie a game up. That's what it has come to.
Then in the top of the 4th after Wright and Davis hit back to back 1 out singles Josh Thole was back to his old clutch hitting ways and he singled. Wright scored and the Mets had the lead, 2-1.
But all good things come to an end lately when watching these games.
After Niese had pitched the 7th and it was still a 2-1 ball game I was pretty certain Jerry would keep Jon in for the 8th. At this point in the Metsies season every game is so crucial that well why take a chance with the bullpen. I mean I figured Manuel would let Niese face the first batter, Sweeney, and well if he gave up a hit or walked him then Jerry would bring in Bobby Parnell. Pitch count smitch smount, Niese was grooving BUT Manuel just had to be a dope and send in Parnell to face Sweeney right from the start. And the 4 day rested Parnell just crushed all my hopes of the Mets possible winning streak and well just a win tonight. It's kind of painful to really recap this part of the game, there were just too many hits in this inning from this Utley, Howard and Victorino-less lineup to discuss without well me wanting to break my keyboard, so I'll just say Parnell, Feliciano and then Acosta combined to give up 6 runs in this bottom of the 8th to the Phillies. After 8 innings in the books the Phils were up 7-2 over the Mets.
The Mets have broken my heart many times this season but this one wow I'm just crushed right now.
And in the top of the 9th I figured the Mets would be retired immediately. And well I was wrong again. After Wright struck out to lead off the inning with "not a bang" Davis singled. Thole then popped up but Frenchy got the luckiest infield single I've ever seen. As a result the pitcher Baez was taken out of the game and Romero was brought in to face the pinch hitter Mike Hessman with 2 outs and Ike and Jeff on 1st and 2nd. And Crash Davis homered! This was a very pleasant surprise. So the game was now 7-5 and quite possibly the Mets could un-break my heart. But nope that didn't happen. The other Manuel brought in the Phils closer Lidge to face the pinch hitter who was going to be Henry Blanco but Jerry Manuel instead opted to go with Jesus Feliciano and well Jesus struck out and the game was over and my heart remained broken.
But at least we can't blame K-Rod for this one, right?!
And really I don't even have much fun booth shenanigans to even cheer myself up or you fellow fans with. Gary, Keith and Ron just didn't supply that much funny. I think during these times it's hard to do that. But I did jot down some things they said. Here we go:
Keith at one point said "What do announcers know anyway?" Well I'll tell you what they know. They know to let Jon Niese pitch the 8th inning. Yep Keith was totally on board with my managerial moves!
Ron said "MUMBO JUMBO." That was funny. I would have liked to hear that multiple times. Particularly if he said that in the bottom of the 8th I might have been able to laugh and well not stare horrifyingly at my tv.
After Jose made a great play Gary said, "Reyes makes the ACCURATE throw." You know it's just that bad when Mr. Cohen has to emphasize that Reyes didn't make two errors in this game and instead was very accurate with his throws to Davis.
Keith I don't remember why said "Different strokes for different folks." That was amazin'!
The camera man got a shot of a father and son playing "rock, paper, scissor says shoot" and well that led Gary to reveal that there are actual "rock, paper scissor" tournaments in well Vegas. I didn't know this. And Keith and Ron were stunned too.
And as a result of this booth action I came up with the following:
On "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" there's this segment that is done weekly called "remix the clips" where "The Roots" very own Questlove remixes funny clips from the news or random tv shows that the Fallon staff has selected. I would have liked to do this with Ron's "mumbo jumbo," Keith's "different strokes for different folks" bit and well Gary saying "rock, paper, scissor." That might have been a good distraction for the bottom of the 8th!
Well I'll say this and sound stupid but here it goes tomorrow is a new day. Santana is on the mound and maybe just maybe the Mets will give him some run support because Cole Hamels will SUCK (yes I'm sounding all delusional again) and Santana will just pitch a gem of a game. I mean if the Mets somehow could take these next two games I'll gladly jump back into fantasy-land and well think a big winning streak is possible. But this requires the Mets to beat both Hamels and Halladay. But if any two pitchers on the Metsies can challenge Hamels and Halladay it's Santana and Dickey. So let's go Mets. Somehow make us fans BELIEVE that this isn't an endless summer of misery. It would be so nice to believe.
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