Staple here, the tarp is off the field and there will be baseball on time tonight. Johan Santana (5-3, 3.36) goes against Andrew Miller (4-3, 5.33) in a few.
Let the blogging begin.
Top 1:That was brief. Santana whiffs Ramirez and gets the next two on fly balls. Nice to have an ace on the mound. 0-0, middle of 1.
Bottom 1: Good start for the triple-A lineup. Clutch hits by Fernando Tatis and Ramon Castro and a sac fly from Damion Easley make up for some not-so-clutch hitting by Beltran, and the Mets have a solid lead. 3-0, end of 1.
Top 2: Apparently I was a bit premature with the "ace" deal... Santana gets cuffed around, but a nice play by Reyes keeps the Marlins to one run. Not inspiring, though. 3-1, middle of 2.
Bottom 2: Miller is definitely struggling, but he manages to get out with just a walk to Castillo. Mets should be jumping all over this kid. 3-1, end of 2.
Top 3: Santana isn't exactly cruising anymore either, but he gets out of a two-on situation by sawing off Dan Uggla on a bouncer to short. 3-1, middle of 3.
Bottom 3: Mets are starting to let Miller get comfortable. Not good, especially with this weak lineup. 3-1, end of 3.
Top 4: Bottom of the Marlins order goes obediently, despite another ripped single, by Cody Ross. At least those aren't going over the wall. 3-1, middle of 4.
Bottom 4: Clutch two-out hitting by Santana. Too bad Reyes couldn't follow suit. 3-1, end of 4.
Top 5: Santana brings the gas to strike out Uggla with two on. Marlins have six hits, but no big innings. Great running catch by Beltran to help out there, too. 3-1, middle of 5.
Bottom 5: More good stuff from Tatis, with a run-scoring single. Can't find room for this guy every day? Really? 4-1, end of 5.
Top 6: Santana gives it back on Ross' HR. Marlins still hanging around. 4-2, middle of 6.
Bottom 6: Nothing doing against the Marlins' pen. Santana cruises through the seventh and the Mets are in good shape. Top of the order, though. 4-2, end of 6.
Top 7: A narrow escape for Santana, likely his last pitches of the night. Reyes boots another one, though the third run would've scored anyway; Nick Evans makes a scary catch in left, and then Uggla whiffs again to end it. 4-3, middle of 7.
Bottom 7: More good work by the fill-in starters. Easley and Tatis get on base and Castro brings in a huge run with a single. Sanchez on for the eighth. 5-3, end of 7.
Top 8: Now there's a case of a trip to the mound working quite well. Rick Peterson comes out, tells Sanchez, "Off-speed stuff to Wes Helms," and presto -- three straight changeups and a big strikeout. 5-3, middle of 8.
Bottom 8: Mets could have had a couple extra runs for Wagner, but nothing doing. Castillo grounds out weakly and Wright laces one to short, with Chavez breaking too soon for a DP. This Wagner guy's pretty good though, I hear. 5-3, end of 8.
Bottom 9: Wagner blows away the top of the Marlins order for a save, and the Mets get to celebrate for a night. 5-3 Mets, final.
Comments (1)
This Live Blog gets stuck more than MEts runner on base!