Game 1: Mets 2 Astros 1
Big Pelf vs Nelson Figueroa
-Reyes out with the ohhhhh-blique blues, ugh.
-Luis Castillo and his two different sized legs are now getting the playing time he wanted, oye.
-There was a Jay Bay sighting...in the dugout!
-Keith Hernandez was back in the booth!
The last time Nelson Figueroa was at Citi Field, it was 2009 and he was a Metsie and he pitched a 4 hit shutout. But oh how things have changed! Last night Figueroa pitched quite good yet again but well now he's an Astro and well his efforts were indeed no match for those of Big Pelf. Over the last 5 games Pelf has returned to that dominant possible all star we grew to love early on in the season and that's been splendid. I'm so happy to not have to see Dan Warthen come to the mound to calm a confused, irate and just out of control Pelfrey down! But besides Pelf pitching a gem this game really came down to Figueroa walking a lot of Mets because honestly the NY Metropolitan offense was just non-existent. They only had 3 hits on the night but oh it was just enough to help them eke out this victorino against Houston. Ok so let's do this recap, it's been a while since I wrote one up, I hope I still have the magic touch and well then it's time for some Keith and Gary booth shenanigans! Here we go!
The Metsies Lineup:
Pagan
Castillo
Beltran
Wright
Davis
Francouer
Blanco
Tejada
Pelfrey
After Pelf got out of as Gary called it a "hips knee" (much worse than knee deep) jammy jam of a situation in the top of the first the Mets were able to take an early lead in the bottom of the first. Shockingly, because yes this shocked me Castillo after Pagan flew out to center got a 1 out single! I know I'm still shocked. Then during Beltran's at bat Figueroa made an "errant" pick-off throw to first and Castillo and his two different sized legs moved on over to 2nd. Even though Gary called the throw errant Keith had believed it was not so errant and then when he saw the replay on ULTRA MO he agreed with Mr. Cohen. Carlos was then walked, and ball 4 was a wild pitch! As a result, Castillo advanced to 3rd and now Mr. Wright was up! Coming into this game Davey had been on a tear, a 6 game hitting streak of a tear. He's had 11 hits in his last 23 at bats! But this time he did not get a hit but he sac flied and Castillo scored and the Mets were up 1-0 over the Astros! And David now has 85 rib eye steaks! Then during Ike's at bat Beltran stole 2nd, yay! That was Carlos' first successful stolen base of the season (he's now 1 for 2 in the SB department). Moments later Figueroa walked Isaac Benjamin Davis but unfortunately Frenchy grounded out to the short stop Angel Sanchez to end the inning. Funny to note about Sanchez, Gary said, "That's the weakest shortstop's arm we've seen in the National League this season!" Yep Gary and Keith mocked Sanchez and his lollipop throws all night long! It was quite funny.
In the top of the 4th Pelfrey was cruising. After he retired the lead off batter Carlos Lee, he had retired 8 straight Astros in a row! Then Gary pointed out a really super duper stat about Big Mike. Pelf has the longest "not giving up a homer to a right handed batter in a season" streak by a Metsies pitcher ever. After Lee's at bat it was up to 287 at bats. How crazy is that?! But back to the action. Johnson got a 1 out double and ugh the 8 Astros in a row retired streak Pelf had going was now over, boo! Then after a huge battle with Wallace (Ike Davis' roomie back in college), a battle that went 12 pitches long, strike 3 was called and there were 2 outs. But ugh ugh ugh Sanchez was up to well show Keith and Gary he's not total garbage. He singled and it appeared Johnson would not try to head home, the 3rd base coach told him to stay put but he totally botched that sign and Johnson ended up being tagged out by Blanco on a quite enjoyable rundown. And to get that rundown going Frenchy made the spectacular throw to Hank White and well he now has 10 assists! Yay danger averted!
In the bottom of the 4th Nelson Figueroa did that walking thing I mentioned earlier and it was delightful. With 1 out Nelson walked Ike yet again and then Frenchy singled! Then Hank White was walked and the bases were loaded for Ruben Sandwich! Tejada has had 1 hit in his last 44 at bats but oh that must have really scared Figueroa because he then walked Tejada! He forced in that good old run, Ike scored and the Mets were now up 2-0 over the Astros! Keith after seeing this said "That's a fine!" Yep the baseball policeman Mr. Hernandez definitely wanted to give Figueroa a ticket for that walk! Sadly Pelf grounded into a 4,6,3 double play to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 7th the Metsies didn't score BUT Ruben Tejada almost got a homer and then after it went foul he singled! He snapped his 0-15 hitting woes streak, yay!
After 8 innings Pelfrey was out of the game but what a game he pitched. 0R 6H 4K 2BB, and 124 total pitches thrown. That pitch count is a brand new career high for Big Pelf!
In the bottom of the 8th the new Astros pitcher Mark Melancon retired the Mets in order, Beltran, Wright and Davis could not pad this lead any more and it was time for Bobby Parnell to go for his second career save! But yep he didn't get it, ugh. After striking out the lead off batter Hunter Pence, Lee singled and well Pagan bobbled the ball. Due to that Crazy Horse error Lee was now on at 2nd with just 1 out for Wallace. But Jerry took Bobby out of this game right after the Lee single and he brought in TAKAHASHI. The bad Taka gave up a single to Wallace, Johnson scored and ugh it was looking like oh so many 9th innings we had seen with Frankie this season, ugh ugh ugh. But nope my Dad said the good Taka would emerge and he'd save this game. And sometimes my father isn't useless and he is actually right...a lot. SO Hisanori got Angel Sanchez to pop up for out numero dos! And now the last batter who could break my heart and all Metsies fans hearts was the pinch hitter Manzella. On a 1-2 count the good Taka struck him out and the ball game was over! The Mets won and Big Pelf is now 13-7 on the season, wahoo!
Other baseball news:
-The Marlins beat the Braves 7-1. Atlanta has dropped 4 games in a row. This is delightful.
-Sadly the Phillies could not lose yet again and they beat the Padres in 12 innings, 3-2.
-Poor Stephen Strasburg. Honestly this is one of the saddest stories of the year for me in baseball. Stras now needs to undergo Tommy John surgery. I hope for his sake he like Josh Johnson can be that exception to the rule and well get the surgery and come back stronger and more dominant than ever. I'm rooting for you kiddo!
-The DBack's and that Metsies killer Enright beat Tim Lincecum and the Giants 6-0, whoa right!
And now to the booth shenanigans! Oh how I missed Keith!
Keith mentioned how at age 33 he just started to fall asleep all the time. For example, he'd go on a plane and he'd just sleep. On my trip to Spain I fell asleep all the time too, on buses, on planes, while walking, okay not while walking but I seriously was so Keith! But I'm only 26. This might not be something I should brag about...
Keith talked about the days when home plate umps didn't rely on third base umps for calling balls and strikes. Keith recalled umps saying to him, "You swung I don't need help!"
Keith said he loves Verizon. "They are my carrier! I have the DROID!" Gary then asked if Keith was trying to get a free new phone out of all of this Verizon promoting he was doing and Keith LOL-ed, you know he "lots of laughs-ed" it because yes from many games back that's what Hernandez told Cohen he believed LOL meant.
After a gazillion games Keith still calls Luis Castillo "Louie," to him the "S" is silent. Gary mocked him about this and well Keith said in his defense, "I just get lazy." Gary said, "I think you just forget!"
In the bottom of the 6th after Frenchy was beaned in the shoulder Keith said, "Thank God it wasn't a bullet. He'd be dead!" Then Gary said something like or he'd have a major spinal injury and be all paralyzed. Oh Gary and Keith...
Keith said he will be around to announce for every remaining Metsies SNY game! YAY!
Keith after talking about Reyes and well how the Mets should be careful about when they let him play again had said, "A lot of trunk twisting that goes into a swing." Yes he couldn't just say it's hard to take at bats with a bad right oblique yada yada yada, you can injure it again and again so easily. Nope he couldn't say that but that's why I adore him!
Well folks like I have said I'm not throwing in the towel just yet with our beloved Metsies. I still have this little bit of hope left that they are going to make a run for the playoffs. And hopefully I will NOT look like such a dope tonight after saying this with Santana on the mound against Myers. I would love for the Metsies to sweep the Astros this weekend and for the Marlins to sweep the Braves and well for San Diego to beat the Phillies the next two games. All of these things I want can happen. Anything is possible folks! Have a great day!
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