Mets 6, Nationals 3: Dickey Pitches Well and the Mets Come from Behind to Win

This was a game the New York Mets could have very easily lost. Though they took an early one-run lead on a single by Justin Turner, the Mets couldn't muster up much in the way of offense against Tom Gozerlanny. They wouldn't score another run through the seventh inning.

Though he pitched very well for 6.2 innings, R.A. Dickey allowed a pair of runs, and the Mets trailed 2-1 when he was taken out of the game in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on third and two outs and Jayson Werth stepping up to the plate. For the second night in a row, Ryota Igarashi retired Werth, and the deficit remained one run.

With one out in the top of the eighth inning, Jose Reyes blasted a triple but was absurdly called out by third base umpire Marvin Hudson, who bought Jerry Hairston's made-up story that Reyes' hand had come off the bag. Reyes justifiably freaked out, and things were looking pretty bleak. Luckily, Daniel Murphy had an excellent at-bat, working the count full before launching a game-tying home run over the right field fence.

The Mets then did their best to hand the game back to the Nationals with a series of defensive miscues in the bottom of the inning. With Pedro Beato on the mound, a dropped fly ball by Jason Bay, the failure of Murphy to cover second base on the same play, and a passed ball handed the Nationals a golden opportunity. Wilson Ramos was up to the task, tying the game on a sacrifice fly, but Beato retired the next two batters to keep the game within reach.

The ninth inning went considerably better than the eighth. With crooked-hat-wearing Sean Burnett on the mound for the Nats, the Mets loaded the bases on singles by Bay and Davis and an infield single by Willie Harris. Chin-lung Hu drove a ball about as far as he probably ever has to right field for a sacrifice fly to tie things up. Josh Thole then grounded up the middle, and Davis was running on a contact play and scored the go-ahead run. Daniel Murphy provided the insurance, driving in both baserunners on a scorched double to right field.

Francisco Rodriguez came on to pitch the ninth, and despite allowing a one-out double, he finished things off easily to give the Mets their sixth consecutive win. This game was an absolute thriller, easily the best win of the season thus far. Whether or not the Mets surprise people and contend for anything this season, it's games like these that make baseball worth watching.

The Mets go for their second consecutive series sweep tomorrow at 7:05 pm with Chris Capuano on the hill against Livan Hernandez.

K Counter by sparbz

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Win Probability Added

Big winners: Daniel Murphy, +39.1% WPA
Big losers: Pedro Beato, -24.1% WPA (unfair), Jose Reyes, -12.4% WPA (also unfair)
Teh aw3s0mest play: Daniel Murphy home run in the eighth inning, +26.8% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Rick Ankiel doulbe in the fifth inning, -14.9% WPA% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -14.9% WPA
Total batter WPA: +64.9% WPA
GWRBI!: Josh Thole

Game Thread Roll Call

Nice job by metman726; his effort in the game thread embiggens us all.