|
 Cuddyer's RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning scored right
fielder Curtis Granderson and lifted the skidding Mets to a 5-4 win
over the San Francisco Giants.
The win salvaged the finale of a three-game series for the Mets, who
were no-hit by Giants rookie right-hander Chris Heston in a 5-0 loss
Tuesday. On Wednesday, New York led 4-2 before ace right-hander Matt
Harvey allowed five runs in the sixth inning of San Francisco's 8-5
victory.
"Any time you one, get a win, two, a win that you needed and then in
the fashion that it happened, it was all good," Cuddyer said. "All
fun."
The Mets appeared headed for another miserable loss when they fell
behind 2-0 in the first inning and failed to get a hit against
Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum in the first three innings.
First baseman Lucas Duda drew a one-out walk in the fourth, after
which Cuddyer hit a potential double play grounder to third base.
But the ball bounced off the glove of Matt Duffy and Cuddyer beat
the throw to first base from shortstop Brandon Crawford.
After a pop-out by shortstop Wilmer Flores, catcher Travis d'Arnaud
blooped the Mets' first hit, an RBI single, into the no-man's land
in shallow right field.
"That was big to be able to scrape together that inning," Cuddyer
said. "It allowed us to at least get back to our approach and not
try to put too much pressure to get the hit."
The Mets didn't score again in the fourth but took the lead in the
fifth, when left-hander Jonathon Niese doubled and went to third on
Granderson's single. One out later, Duda's sacrifice fly scored
Niese and Granderson trotted home on a double by Cuddyer that chased
Lincecum.
"You've got to give credit to the Giants for the first two games of
the series," said d'Arnaud, who finished with two hits. "And the way
the game was starting today, they looked like they had it going
again. But fortunately we were able to get that one run."
The Mets were able to get one more run two more times. Crawford's
two-run homer in the sixth gave the Giants a 4-3 lead, but
pinch-hitter Darrell Ceciliani led off the bottom of the seventh
with a double and scored on Granderson's single.
In the ninth, Granderson was hit by a one-out pitch from
right-hander Sergio Romo (0-3), went to second on a passed ball and
took third on a groundout by centerfielder Juan Lagares. After an
intentional walk to Duda, Cuddyer laced Romo's next pitch up the
middle for his fourth walk-off hit and first since April 19, 2006.
"It's definitely a good feeling to get that win, because you get
swept at home, no matter who you're playing -- against a good team
or not a good team -- it leaves a bad taste in your mouth," Cuddyer
said. "To be able to get the win tonight makes you feel good about
going to the next series."
[to top of second column] |
It also helped put the Mets (32-29) back in first place in the NL
East. New York moved a half-game ahead of the Washington Nationals,
who lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-5.
Right-hander Jeurys Familia (2-0) allowed one hit in the ninth.
Niese allowed four runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks
while striking out four over seven innings.
The Giants (34-27) finished 4-2 on a road trip to Philadelphia and
New York but missed a chance to move within a half-game of the
first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
"Good road trip -- you take two series, you take it," Giants manager
Bruce Bochy said. "You'd like to get greedy and get this one, but we
just couldn't hold the lead."
First baseman Buster Posey had an RBI single while right fielder
Nori Aoki went 2-for-4. Second baseman Joe Panik singled and scored
a run as he extended his hitting streak to 15 games and his streak
of reaching base consecutively to 23 games, the longest active run
in the majors.
Lincecum gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and three
walks while striking out five and throwing 102 pitches over 4 2/3
innings.
"They got the best of me with that high pitch count," Lincecum said.
"I need to find a better way to get out of those jams and make good
pitches."
NOTES: The Mets activated RHP Bobby Parnell and INF Dilson Herrera
from the disabled list to replace RHP Dillon Gee, who was placed on
the bereavement list after the death of his grandmother, and INF
Ruben Tejada, who was placed on the paternity leave list after his
daughter was born Thursday morning. Parnell hasn't pitched in the
majors since March 31, 2014, nine days before he underwent Tommy
John surgery. Herrera has been out since May 15 with a fractured tip
of his right middle finger. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence (left wrist
tendinitis) missed his eighth straight game and likely will be
placed on the disabled list Friday when San Francisco returns home.
... Giants RHP Jake Peavy (back strain) gave up four runs and struck
out eight over 4 1/3 innings Thursday for Triple-A Sacramento.
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