March 22, 2008

Game Recap: Indians 5 -- Mets 2

In a rain shortened game, Oliver Perez gave up 4 home runs in 5 innings, and the Indians beat the Mets 5-2 in 7 innings.

Perez pitched 5 innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 7 hits and 2 walks. Perez struck out 6. All the runs came on home runs. Victor Martinez, Asdrubal Cabrera and Ben Francisco each has solo shots, while Casey Blake added a 2-run home run. Three of the home runs came in the 4th inning.

Not good, not good at all. Yes, it's only spring training, but Perez has only one, maybe two games until the season starts, so you have to start paying attention to the numbers being put up now.

Joe Smith and Nelson Figueroa each pitched one inning in relief. Smith allowed two hits, and nothing more. Figueroa pitched a hitless inning, but he walked one, hit a batter, and balked.

As long as they don't give up runs, I'm OK with it. I think we'll see both of these guys at Shea sometime this year.

The Mets offense picked up 7 hits, 3 for extra base hits.

Carlos Beltran hit a solo home run in the top of the 6th inning off of Scott Elarton. He also struck out once, going 1-3 on the day. Fernando Tatis went 1-2 with a walk and an RBI double in the 7th inning.

Apparently Beltran crushed that ball, which is great to see. His knees will always bother him, but he still puts up numbers and wins gold gloves. Tatis has looked pretty good over the last few days.

Ryan Church ended his hitless streak, knocking a double while going 1-3 on the day. Damion Easley picked up 2 singles, going 2-3.

It's about time, Church! Get in a groove now and keep it up.

Game Ball: Beltran, I guess.

2 comments:

hdarvick said...

It should be pointed out that Nelson Figueroa walked the first batter he faced on four pitches, balked him to second, and hit the next batter before Willie Randolph went out to the mound, seeing the condition of the mound after a game-long rain. The home plate umpire called for the ground crew to put dry sand on the mound so that Figueroa would be able to get a foothold on the mound the way a pitcher is supposed to.

Randolph trotted back to the dugout, Figueroa's first two pitches were strikes and he retired the next three batters 1-2-3. As he headed back to the dugout, the game was called after 7 innings because of the condition of the field.

Figueroa's ERA is now 3.14. He's pitched 14 innings (11 shutout innings), allowing 3 runs in one inning and 1 in another inning vs. Boston, one solo HR on the only hit he allowed in 4 innings vs. Houston. He seems to be ahead in the race for long relief, but if El Duque and Pelfrey don't do well in Sunday's game, the five Met starters may be Santana, Martinez, Maine, Perez, and Figueroa.

David Rubin said...

Hdarvick:

You might be EXACTLY right, with the way that O-Hern and Pelfrey pitched today, Hernandez might start in Florida extended, Pelfrey might be in AAA and Figueroa might just be the Mets' fifth starter- at least to start the season off. Wow- if you would have told ANY of us that this would be the case back in February, none of us would have been very happy to hear this! And now Figueroa ends up as the surprise success story of the Spring, version 2, right after Angel Pagan, version 1!!! Good call!