6/8 Mets Game Recap – Mets lose, 2-1, in 20 innings

This recap is going to be as long and excruciating as that game was. I’m not editing it. There are probably mistakes and typos, but who cares. This is what happened.

After a 1-2-3 1st inning for Matt Harvey, Daniel Murphy dunked it into left right near the line with 1 out, thouhg Murph was not too quick out of the box and wasn’t able to turn the hit into a double, though the ball stayed up for some time. After David Wright flied out, Lucas Duda worked a great at bat that finished with a single up the middle, sending Murphy to 3rd and bringing Marlon Byrd up to the plate. Though he has been on fire lately, he unfortunately struck out against the phenom Jose Fernandez to end the Mets threat in the 1st.

Ike Davis worked a leadoff walk to open the bottom of the 2nd. John Buck unfortunately lined out to short, but Juan Lagares, being rewarded with a start after his career-high 3-hit game against the Nationals, hit it into the left-center field gap into “run on Juan Pierre” territory. Ike Davis galloped around 3rd and easily scored as Lagares clapped his hands at 2nd, the Mets now with a 1-0 lead.

Any premonition anyone had of a no-hitter/perfect game were quickly erased to open the 3rd when Rob Brantly singled on the 1st pitch of the inning. Harvey, however, got the next 3 batters in a row to limit the hit damage at 1.

The Marlins tied the game up at 1 when Chris Coghlin hit a sac fly after two 1-out singles in the top of the 4th. Harvey limited the damage when he picked Coghlin off 1st for the last out of the inning.

All 3 batters in the 4th inning, Davis, Buck and Lagares, watched called 3rd strike curveballs by Jose Fernandez.

With 1 out in the top of the 5th, Brantly collected his 2nd hit of the day. Adeiny Hechavarria then dribbled the ball to the 3rd base side of the mound, too slow for Harvey to get him at 1st. It also appeared that his back leg gave out ever so slightly and he seemed to be favoring it for the rest of the game (more on that later.) Jose Fernandez attempted a sac bunt, but Harvey got off the mound quickly and was able to get the forceout at 2nd. Juan Pierre then hit the ball hard up the middle. Hechavarria rounded 3rd and headed for home, but Lagares played the ball to a tee and threw a perfect strike to Buck waiting on Adeiny, who didn’t even slide for the last out of the inning.

Jose Fernandez was fantastic, going 6 innings giving up only 1 run on 3 hits. With 97 pitches and still only 20, Marlins Manager Mike Redmond leaned on the conservative side, bringing in Chad Qualls for the bottom of the 7th. The Mets were certainly thrilled to not only see Qualls but NOT see Fernandez, who has handled the Mets for 4 starts now, including his Major League debut (that luckily ended in a walkoff.) Qualls began by hitting John Buck with a slider, but Lagares unfortunately grounded into a pretty regular 6-4-3 double play. Harvey was up next and took his turn at bat, collecting a line-drive single to center field, the 1st Mets hit since Lagares’s RBI double in the 2nd. Omar Quintanilla, however, grounded to 2nd base for the last out of the 7th.

Harvey began the 8th inning at 93 pitches, but during the warmup, Terry Collins and the trainer headed out to the mound to take a look at something concerning them with Matt and his leg. The home plate umpire headed out, and before we knew it, they were signaling to the bullpen and Harvey Day once again ended in a no-decision, the 8th in 9 starts. Though all signs pointed to something up with his leg, when he got to the dugout, Harvey pointed to his lower back when talking to Dan Warthen (later reported as lower back tightness.)

Brandon Lyon headed into the game and got all the time he needed to warm up. Hechavarria then opened the inning with a single left. With Greg Dobbs up pinch-hitting for Qualls, Hechavarria stole 2nd on a throw that Buck sailed into center field, though Lagares got to it quickly enough to prevent Adeiny from going to 3rd. Dobbs then walked, bringing up Juan Pierre to naturally bunt the runners over with no out. He attempted to get the bunt down but missed the pitch, and Hechavarria wound up caught too far off the bag. He had no choice but to attempt 3rd base when Buck threw down to 2nd. Quintanilla received the throw and gunned down Hechavarria at 3rd. With 1 out now, the bunt was off and Pierre ended up hitting into the 4-6-3 double play to keep the score tied at 1.

The Mets threatened in the 8th against reliever Mike Dunn, but unfortunately could not come through.

Bobby Parnell worked a scoreless 9th inning, only giving up an infield single to Marcell Ozuna.

After Bobby Parnell worked a scoreless top 9th, John Buck got things started off righty Ryan Webb with a 1st-pitch single up the middle. Mike Baxter was on deck to pinch-hit for Lagares, but was pulled back after Buck’s single, sending Juan up to bunt Buck over to 2nd. Now, Mike Baxter, pinch-hitting for the pitcher’s spot, headed up to the plate for what has become his specialty. Mike Redmond countered, though, with Lefty Dan Jennings. Baxter, who had been announced, was then pulled back once more for the right-handed Anthony Recker, making Baxter ineligible for the rest of the game. Recker, however, ended up striking out. With 2 out, Omar Quintanilla headed to the plate, looking to prevent the now much-thinner bench from being exposed in extra innings. He drew a walk to bring Daniel Murphy up to the plate, albeit against the lefty. Murph hit it on the button, but 2B Derek Dietrich smothered to his left, getting up and throwing Murph out at 1st for the final out of the 9th.

LaTroy Hawkins started the 10th inning getting the first 2 batters out. He walked Hechaverria, however, followed by a single by Justin Ruggiano, sending Hecha to 3rd. Terry Collins quickly headed out of the dugout to bring Scott Rice in to face Juan Pierre, his 33rd appearance in the season so far. He was able to induce a fly out to left.

David Wright was robbed of an extra-base hit to start the bottom 10th when he hit it to Justin Ruggiano in center field. Ruggiano had it the whole way, crashing into the wall in the process. Lucas Duda then struck out, but Marlon Byrd took a 2-out walk.Justin Turner, still in the game at 1st, also took a walk, bringing former Marlin John Buck up to the plate. He unfortunately popped up to Placido Polanco to send everyone to the 11th.

Scott Rice started the inning, but Ed Lucas opened up with a single. Rice induced a fly out to right by Derek Dietrich before yielding the mound to submariner Greg Burke. Burke got Ozuna striking out swinging and Casey Kotchman to ground out to 2nd, giving the Mets yet another chance to walkoff.

A chance…they once again squandered, sending everyone farther into extras.

David Aardsma, called up from AAA Vegas prior to the game, made his Mets debut in the top of the 12th, pitching a 1-2-3 inning.

Daniel Murphy opened up the bottom half with a walk against reliever AJ Ramos, stirring up the crowd who just wanted the Mets to send them home. David Wright hit a slow roller to Polanco at 3rd. Polanco attempted to get the lead runner at 2nd but Murph was hustling the whole way and everyone was safe. Lucas Duda hit a long fly ball to center field, Murph tagging to set up runners on the corners with 1 out for Marlon Byrd. Byrd hit a fly ball, but it was to Marcell Ozuna in right, whose biggest strength is his arm. He caught it near the line, spinning around and throwing a one-hopper to the plate. Murph, forced to attempt to bulldoze over the catcher Brantly, was the 3rd out, sending everyone into the 13th.

Shaun Marcum started the top of the 13th, pitching a 1-2-3 inning.

Once again, the Mets threatened in the 13th, with Justin Turner opening with a single. Buck, who isn’t normally asked to sacrificed, popped up an attempted bunt for the 1st out. Lagares got yet another hit, but Rick Ankiel, who entered with Marcum in a double-switch replacing Byrd, popped up to 3rd in foul territory. Omar Quintanilla then struck out on a foul tip held on by Brantly.

Marcum gave up his 1st hit with 1 out in the 14th. Luckily, it was squandered.

“Here’s Murphy,” said Josh Lewin to open the bottom of the 14th.

(I’m delirious now.)

And David Wright singled after Murph struck out.

And Lucas Duda called out on strikes.

Shaun Marcum hit by the pitch. Justin Turner up. Ray Ramirez out to check on Marcum. He’s fine.

Fielder’s choice to 2nd.

15.

Brantly 3rd hit of the game, passed diving Turner for single.

pop up. Right side of infield. Murphy makes catch, 1 away.

struck out Ruggiano.

Swung on and missed, strike three, side retired.

John Buck starts bottom of 15th off Dietrich’s glove for a single.

Lagares moves Buck over to 2nd with grounder to Dietrich. Ankiel up now.

Strikes out swinging.

5 hours 14 minutes old now…

Omar Quintanilla strikes out looking.

16.

Marcum gets Ed Lucas to fly out on his 1st pitch.

Murphy makes the catch over the shoulder.

High Fly Ball to Center.

Murph fly out.

David Wright base hit to Wright Field

Lucas Duda pop up in foul to 3rd.

Marcum hits it hard, but hey, guess what?

17.

chopped back to marcum, underhand to 1st, 1 out.

strikeout.

pop up shallow right, murph got it.

Turner to 2nd on bouncer that goes off Marcell Ozuna’s glove.

John Buck pops up, runner doesn’t advance.

Lagares. popped up.

Ankiel. I say no more.

18.

pop up.

swinging.

popped up.

Base hit. Q. First pitch.

Murph. Fly ball. deep left field. No tag.

base hit. Wright. Q to 2nd.

Duda Strikeout.

fly ball marcum.

19.

fly out to Duda.

strikeout.

and a scare that goes foul. but strikeout.

turner fly out.

Buck strikeout looking.

Draft is over.

lagares deep to center field but out.

20.

Lucas Duda Makes Catch.

base hit polanco.

base hit, held polanco at 2nd.

base hit, polanco scores, of course, runner out at 3rd.

lagares makes catch.

ankiel.

grounder to 2nd.

Long fly ball by murph.

Mets lose.

That’s my recap. The Mets and Marlins play at some point tomorrow. If you want to know that matchups, look it up somewhere, ’cause I’m out.

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