Pounding Brews: Mets 6, Brewers 5

by Eric Simon on Sep 3, 2008 10:00 AM EDT

I'm a little late with the recap, but this was a really great win for the Mets. I guess at this point in the season they're probably all really great wins, so this one was no exception. Jon Niese was nervous/erratic in his big league debut, walking four and allowing five runs on seven hits in three-plus innings. The Mets had built an early 5-1 lead, but Niese was rocked in that third inning and the four-run cushion evaporated.

The next six innings were dominated by the pitchers, as both teams' offenses were held almost completely in check. The Mets broke through in the tenth with a run off Salomon Torres, and despite a shaky bottom of the inning by Luis Ayala, the Mets held on for the 6-5 win. Cole Hamels was busy dominating the Nationals, so the Mets' win keeps them two games in front in the NL East.

2pm start time this afternoon, so it's a shower, a shave, and get yer ass back out there.

Big winners: Carlos Beltran, +20.8% WPA, Luis Ayala, +20.8% WPA
Big losers: Jon Niese, -36.1% WPA, Damion Easley, -13.9% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Reyes sac bunt/error in 10th, +22.7% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Tatis double-play in 6th vs Mota, -14.6% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +38.2%
Total batter WPA: +11.8%
GWRBI: Endy Chavez

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright; his effort in the game thread embiggens us all.

Name	# of Posts
Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright	61
LOUtheMETfan	58
JoshNY	27
Greenpoint Ian	25
itsmetsforme	25
kingcritical	24
tbach81	17
Reg Dunlop	16
IanB in MD	14
DoctorK16	13
mmxii	9
Endys Game	3
Shomov	3
Prince	2
Sokojoe	1
Blackfish	1
jhlmrn	1
BlackOps	1

Tweet Comment 4 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

You forgot to mention how un-clutch Beltran’s home run was because it came so early in the game and the Brewers came back to tie it. Real winners hit home runs in the eighth inning and then magically induce their pitchers not to give up the lead.

by JoshNY on Sep 3, 2008 10:34 AM EDT reply actions

Most clutch performance, then?

I submit the answer is “the Brewers infield” for committing that error.

'Catsmeat!' he cried. 'I see it all. It was that chump, Catsmeat.'

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Sep 3, 2008 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

hat tip to the whole bullpen

If we’re going to bitch as loudly as we do when the Mets’ bullpen barfs back the lead, we have to give them credit when they don’t. Almost the entire ‘pen pitched in this game after Niese couldn’t hold on through four, and to a man they did credible or better work. I was particularly impressed by Stokes’s two-plus (two solid innings plus some shakiness) and, of course, Feliciano’s one pitch.

by anonymous on Sep 3, 2008 11:24 AM EDT reply actions

agreed

Now if only the Mets could carry 13 relievers all season…

All kidding aside, it has been nice seeing the relief corps scrape together these scoreless innings—13 and counting over the last three games. Still not sure why Ayala of all people has been anointed “The Closer,” but I’ll take the wins, however they come.

We've got ourselves a ball club, the Mets of New York town!

by kingcritical on Sep 3, 2008 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions