Mets salvage win against the Braves

By Gary W. Marchese Jr.

Flushing, NY (July 11) – The New York Mets were able to salvage a win in the three game series over the Atlanta Braves.  The Mets won by the score of 3-0 today behind Johan Santana.  Santana pitched seven innings giving up five hits, three walks and struck out five.  Bobby Parnell pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout and Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 21st save of the season pitching a perfect ninth inning. 

Angel Pagan continued his hot hitting with three hits.  Alex Cora had a hit and an RBI and David Wright had a hit.  Ike Davis had two hits, a walk and an RBI.  Jeff Francoeur had a hit, Chris Carter had two hits and Jesus Feliciano had a hit.  Ruben Tejada had a hit and a walk and Josh Thole had a hit and an RBI.  The Mets got on the board in the third inning with a Pagan triple and a Cora single.  The Mets took a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning on a Davis solo home run.  The final run of the game came in the eighth inning on a Thole single. 

Santana had been struggling for four starts but now has turned in three strong games in a row.  He has 17 strikeouts in those three games which are more than he had in his previous six combined.  The really good thing for the Mets is that over his career Santana has been a great second half pitcher.  The win put the Mets four games back of the Braves in the NL East and saved them from being swept in their three game series to close out the first half of the season.

The Mets offense has been a problem lately scoring just nine runs in its last five games.  Jerry Manuel announced that Angel Pagan will start in right field on Thursday when center fielder Carlos Beltran returns to the lineup.  The Mets will be happy to have him back.  Jerry Manuel indicated he has been encouraged by Parnells work in the eighth inning and may take a closer look at him there in the second half.  The Mets will begin the second half in San Francisco on Thursday to start a three city trip.

Posted by gmarchesej on July 11, 2010. Filed under Mets,News and Sports with Gary W. Marchese Jr.,Sports,US Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.