Defense Gives Up The Game

Marty Noble at Mets.com, writes about the loss last night to Barry Zito and the Giants:

Their 9-4 loss Monday night was nothing less than a comprehensive kaput that included errors on successive plays, an unfavorable call and nine runs -- all in one inglorious inning. The Mets have played uglier innings, though none readily come to mind.

Bonds played a bit part in the overwhelming inning -- he walked and scored -- and Zito, in his first appearance against the Mets, emerged as the winning pitcher in a pedestrian six-inning performance.

It was Bengie Molina, the catcher with a surname all-too-familiar to the Mets, who did them in. "Another give-away game," Willie Randolph called it, and no one questioned his assessment.

Perez -- like Zito, 3-3 -- allowed five hits and two walks in his 4 2/3-inning workday. Zito was responsible for seven of the Mets' 10 hits and three of their four runs. Urdaneta, who had reduced his career ERA from infinity to 81.00 Sunday, retired one batter Monday night, and even with the one run he allowed, he reduced it again -- to 63.00.

Otherwise, the Mets did little in the first of their 13 games in California this season. David Wright had two hits and might have had a third if not for Omar Vizquel. Easley and Green had two hits each that didn't offset their defense. And they all fell victim to the "other" Giants. "[Bonds is] not the only one," Randolph said. "We held him, and look what happened."

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