4/25 Game Recap: Curtis Granderson’s Game Winning Hit In 9th Sinks Fish 4-3

If you recall, New York started the season 0-3, but, entering tonight’s action, they have gone 12-7 since.  In taking three of four games from the St. Louis Cardinals, the Mets won their fourth series of the season, against three losses.  With a 7-3 record in their last ten, they started the evening two games over .500 and alone in second place.

However, a winning record at Citi Field still eludes them.  They’ll try improving upon their 6-7 home record this weekend against the visiting Miami Marlins, who entered the game with a 10-12 record, and only a 1-8 mark on the road.

Apr 20, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets catcher Anthony Recker (left) hugs New York Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson (right) after Granderson hit a game-winning fly ball to advance a runner in the 14th inning as the Mets win 4-3 against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/The Star-Ledger

Although it seems recent history would suggest otherwise, the Mets lead the all-time series against the Florida/Miami Marlins with a 174-164 record.

Zack Wheeler climbed the hill for the Mets this evening, and was opposed by Miami’s Henderson Alvarez. They both started Friday with matching 1-2 records, however, Alvarez brought a 2.66 ERA into the game, while Zack Wheeler sported a loftier 4.63 mark.

Mets Starting Line-Up:

LF) – Eric Young Jr.; RF) – Curtis Granderson; 3B) – David Wright; CF) – Chris Young; 1B) – Lucas Duda; C) – Travis d’Arnaud;  SS) – Ruben Tejada; SP) – Zack Wheeler.

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Game Recap:

Christian Yelich led off the game for Miami, and wound up on second base after an error by David Wright.  Zack Wheeler then struck out next batter Marcell Ozuna.  Yelich advanced to third on Giancarlo Stanton‘s ground ball out to Daniel Murphy.  After Wheeler issued his first walk of the game to third baseman Casey McGehee, he fanned catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to end the top of the first.

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David Wright recorded the Mets first hit off Henderson Alvarez in the bottom of the first.

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Zack Wheeler cruised through his first three innings of work, throwing 48 pitches, with 30 (62.5%) going for strikes.  He issued one walk in the 1st inning, struck out the side in the 3rd inning, and was up to six for the game.

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Eric Young led off the bottom of the third by reaching safely on a bobbled grounder to the shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria.  Young proceeded to steal second base on Alvarez’ second delivery to Curtis Granderson, then advanced to third on Grandy’s fly ball to

center field.  Then David Wright stepped in, and pulled a single through the left side to deliver Young.  Daniel Murphy followed, and promptly doubled into the left field corner, sending Wright home all the way from first.  Chris Young and Lucas Duda failed to drive Murphy home from third, but not before the Mets took a 2-0 lead.

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Giancarlo Stanton led off the top of the 4th with Miami’s first hit off Zack Wheeler.  With one out, and catcher Saltalamacchia at the plate, Zack Wheeler uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Stanton to advance to second base.  Stanton was then unable to advance on Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s low liner to center.  With two outs, first baseman Garrett Jones flied to shallow left.

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With his pitch count up to 64 after the 4th, Zack Wheeler was averaging 16 pitches per, while is efficiency took a dip, with only 37 pitches (59%) going for strikes.

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Leading off the 5th, Zack Wheeler issued his second walk of the evening to Derek Dietrich.  Then a pair of errant pitches to batter Hechavarria inspired Dan Warthen to the mound.  Wheeler regrouped and struck out the Marlins shortstop.  After Dietrich was bunted over to second, a communication breakdown between d’Arnaud and Wheeler resulted in the evening’s second wild pitch charged to Wheeler.  With Dietrich at third base, Christian Yelich drew a full count walk. Marcell Ozuna then followed with a base hit up the middle to score Dietrich, and bringing the Marlins within a run of the Mets.

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Zack Wheeler entered the top of the 6th inning at 88 pitches.  Casey McGehee led off with the Marlins’ third hit of the night.  Wheeler then reared back to fan Jarrod Saltalamacchia for his 8th strikeout of the game.  He threw a nifty looking curveball to Garrett Jones for his 100th pitch of the evening, but Jones then pulled a ground ball passed Lucas Duda to put runners on first and third, with one out.  Derek Dietrich followed and struck out for out number two.  Adeiny Hechavarria then stepped in, and swung through strike three to end Miami’s threat.  Zack Wheeler walked off the mound after his 110th and perhaps most important pitch of the night – a breaking ball down and away that sent Adeiny Hechavarria fishing.

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Terry Collins opted for a double switch in the 7th.  Gonzalez Germen entered the game in relief of Zack Wheeler, and Omar Quintanilla entered the game at shortstop.  Miami then went down in order for the third time in the game, while in the bottom of the 7th, the Mets went down in order for the 2nd time.

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Gonzalez German opened the 8th inning by fanning Giancarlo Stanton swinging, and then got Casey McGehee on a check swing call strike three.  With two outs, Jarrod Saltalamacchia stepped in, and turned on a Germen offering, launching a game tying home run the opposite way into the left field party deck.  The next batter, Garrett Jones, then yanked a home run off the right field foul pole to give the Marlins an astonishing 3-2 Marlins lead.

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In the 8th, the heart of the order came to bat, but the Mets were retired in order for the third time in the game, this time by reliever A.J. Ramos.

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With Jeurys Familia in the game, Adeiny Hechavarria led of the 9th with a liner off the glove of Daniel Murphy.  Pinch hitter Greg Dobbs‘ grounder was booted off Daniel Murphy’s foot, and right to Quintanilla at second for a force play on Adeiny.  Daniel Murphy had trouble yet again, handling Christian Yelich’s grounder, but the Mets were still able to turn a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the inning.

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The Mets faced Steve Cishek in the bottom of the 9th.  Leading off, Lucas Duda lofted a shallow base hit to left/center.  Travis d’Arnaud then bunted Duda to second base.  Bobby Abreu was sent in by Terry Collins to pinch hit, and hit a sharp liner that was caught in left for the second out.  Omar Quintanilla followed, and stroked another liner to left, which fell in front of the left fielder Christian Yelich for a hit.  Lucas Duda scored from second to tie the game.

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Kirk Nieuwenhuis stepped in as a pinch hitter, and stroked another base hit to left, but Quintanilla was held up by coach Tim Teufel at third base.  Curtis Granderson was next, and pulled a single passed first baseman Garrett Jones, to deliver the game winning run from third.  Quintanilla touched home plate for the win, and the team proceeded to mob Curtis Granderson near first base in celebration.

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Scoring Summary:

• Bot 3rd inning – Eric young reached in an infield single, stole second base, and advanced to third on a sac-fly.  David Wright’s single scored Young.  Daniel Murphy’s double scored Wright from first base, to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.

• Top 5th inning – Derek Dietrich walked, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt, then moved to third base on a wild pitch, and scored on Marcell Ozuna’s single.

• Top 8th inning – Back to back home runs by Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Garrett Jones off reliever Gonzalez Germen gave the Marlins a 3-2 lead.

• Bot 9th inning –  Lucas Duda led off with a single, and was sacrificed to second base.  Omar Quintanilla’s single scored Duda from second.  Pinch hitter Kirk Neiuwenhuis also singled to set up first and third.  Curtis Granderson’s single to right scored Quintanilla for the win.

Highlights:

• After stroking a 2-out single, Travis d’Arnaud stole his first base of his MLB career in the 2nd inning.

• Dating back to last season, Daniel Murphy stole his 26th consecutive base (4/4 this season) in the 3rd inning.

• Zack Wheeler laid down a successful, if not handsome bunt in the 4th inning – an art Mets pitchers have failed miserably at in recent years.

• A costly mix up in the 5th inning between Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud contributed to Miami’s first run.

• In the bottom of the 5th, Citi Field robbed David Wright of yet another of his once patented home runs to right/center field.  What would have once landed beyond the walls of Shea Stadium, on this night, landed in the glove of Giancarlo Stanton.

• Zack Wheeler pitched 6 full innings, threw 110 pitches, with 63 (57.2%) going for strikes.  He allowed one earned run on just 4 hits, walked 3, struck out 10 batters, and was credited with 2 wild pitches.  He retired seven straight from the 1st through 3rd inning.  Zack left on the winning side of a 2-1 game, but ultimately suffered a no-decision.

• In the bottom of the 6th, Travis d’Arnaud was credited with his second hit of the game, on the second sketchy play by shortstop Hechavarria.  Travis entered the game batting .190, and with a 2 for 3 night, finally got his batting average (.213) above the Mendoza Line.

• With an inning of work, Jeurys Familia gets credit for the victory.

• Curtis Granderson had the game winning RBI in last Sunday’s game, and again this evening.

• The Mets are now 13-10 for the season, and are finally .500 at home, with a 7-7 record.

Next:

4/26 – Saturday; Marlins @ Mets, 7:10pm

Kevin Slowey (0-0) vs. Jenrry Mejia (3-0)

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