Wednesday, May 24, 2006

 

Mets sweet in 16

It took the Mets more than 5 hours and 16 innings to beat the Phillies, 9-8, on Tuesday night. Carlos Beltran's 12th HR concluded the game in dramatic fashion. The Mets came from behind (0-2, 2-6, 5-8) to take the first game of the series.

Jose Reyes (4), David Wright (7) and Cliff Floyd (5) also belted HRs, raising the Mets' total to 62 - 2nd best in the NL behind the Brewers' 65.

However, obscured in the sleep-enducing victory (it was the Mets' longest game since 1995) was a poor outing by Steve Trachsel. His 5-inning line: 7 hits, 6 runs, 4 walks, 1 HR. With 2 outs in the 4th, after walking Pat Burrell and Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino singled home a run and then Trachsel served up a 3-run blast to David Bell. This was vintage Trachsel.

After 9 starts, Trachsel's 2-4 with a 4.99 ERA. He doesn't inspire confidence. On a 1st-place team, Trachsel should have a winning record. He's come a long way since losing 18 games for the Cubs in 1999 - and who could forget his 16-10 record in 2003? - yet Trachsel doesn't pitch like a No. 3 starter. With the 4th and 5th slots in the rotation very much up in the air, the Mets need more consistency from their deliberate righthander.

The Mets (27-17) increased their AL East lead to 4 games over the Phillies (23-21) and to 5 over the Braves (23-23, who lost 2-1 in San Diego.

Next game (Wednesday, May 24): Mets vs Phillies at Shea, 7:10 pm start on SNY & WFAN, Alay Soler (Mets debut) vs. Cole Hammels (0-0, 3,18)

AROUND THE HORN

• The Yankees (25-19) evened their Fenway Park showdown with the Red Sox (26-17), winning 7-5 on Alex Rodriguez's 3-run 7th-inning HR. They trail the Bosox by 1.5 games.
• Albert Puljos hit a HR (his 23rd), but Barry Bonds didn't (he's still 1 HR shy of surpassing Babe Ruth on the all-time list) in the Cards' 8-5 victory over the Giants.
• Ex-Met Mike Jacobs' 2-run walk-off single gave the Marlins a 5-4 win over the Cubs in Miami. Jacobs, who was swapped for Carlos Delgado, is only batting .217, but has 5 HRs and 26 RBI.

Comments:
Not to be nit-picky, but if Trachsel's giving up one run per inning pitched, wouldn't that be an ERA of 9.00?
 
George,

Good catch. I shouldn't try to do stats after a 16-inning game. I'm going to remove that line from the story.

steve
 
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