Saturday, April 14, 2007By Mike Steffanos
Mets 3 - Nationals 2
The arctic chill that has dogged the Mets throughout the young season was a factor again last night. Temperatures in the forties combined with a brisk wind had most of the team bundled in clothing that seems more appropriate for a snowshoeing than for the summer game. Because of that, I think I need to avoid making a real judgment on Mike Pelfrey's inaugural outing of 2007.
I've been watching this team for a long time, and I'm hard-pressed to remember the Mets opening the season with so many games played on cold, raw days. Despite the fact that they've scored some runs in the early going, the offense looks really out of synch at times.
While neither Pelfrey nor the offense wowed last night, both were good enough to get the job done. Despite allowing 10 baserunners on 6 hits and 4 walks, Pelfrey managed to limit the Nationals to the 2 runs they scored on him in the second inning.
Pelfrey is going to have to be sharper than he was last night when the Mets play better offenses under more temperate conditions but, all things considered, it wasn't a bad first outing. He kept his composure when the Nationals got men on base. He left the game down 2-1, but gave the Mets a chance to come back and win it.
While I wasn't happy when Pedro Feliciano issued his fourth walk in five appearances last night, he did a nice job bailing out Pelfrey in the sixth inning. Coming into the game with runners on first and third and 2 outs, Feliciano issued a 5-pitch walk to Brian Schneider that loaded the bases. He redeemed himself by inducing Chris Snelling to groundout to him to end the threat.
Delgado tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, and Feliciano and Heilman kept the Nats off the board in the visitor's seventh. After Franco's pinch hit RBI put the Mets up after seven, Scott Schoeneweis and Billy Wagner pitched a flawless eighth and ninth inning to seal the victory. Schoeneweis was economical, needing only 8 pitches to notch 3 ground outs. Wagner threw the ball well in the ninth. Despite not striking anyone out, he looked as good as he has in the early going this season.
| Mike Pelfrey | |||||||||||
| Date | Opp. | IP | R | ER | H | K | BB | HR | ERA | WHIP | Team Result |
| 4/13 | WAS | 5.2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3.18 | 1.76 | W |
| TOTAL (1 Game) | 5.2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3.18 | 1.76 | 1-0 | |
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Comments (2)
Hi Mike, I am in Lancaster Pa. at the Eden Resort and needed a up date on our Mets. Thank God for your blog the tv is full of Phillies,ugh. Thanks for the good news of a Met win. Talk to you soon. I am here till thurs. LETS GO METS>
Posted by REV AL | April 14, 2007 6:37 PM
Glad you weren't around for Saturday's game, Al. Stay dry and enjoy yourself.
Posted by Mike Steffanos | April 15, 2007 3:54 PM