IGT 06/19, Devil Dogs at Metropolitans

[Guest Kong76]

(Sports Network) - The New York Mets will kick off a lengthy 10-game homestand this evening, starting with the first of three straight interleague games versus the Tampa Bay Rays at brand new Citi Field.

New York has lost three straight and six of its last eight games, and just completed a six-game road trip with a 2-4 record. After beating Baltimore on Tuesday, the Mets lost the final two installments of the set, including a 5-4 loss on Thursday. Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez was dealt the loss for allowing two runs and two hits in the decisive ninth inning, while starter Livan Hernandez gave up just a pair of runs in seven decent frames.

"I'm a human being," Rodriguez told the team's official site after his second blown save of the season. "Unfortunately, days like this are going to happen. "It was awful, an awful outing. I didn't get the job done."

Carlos Beltran had two hits and drove in a run, while Daniel Murphy, Ryan Church and David Wright were each credited with an RBI for the Mets, who remained three games off the lead in the NL East division after Philadelphia lost again at home to Toronto. New York will also welcome the Cardinals and Yankees to Citi Field on the residency.

Fernando Nieve will handle pitching duties for the Mets on Friday and he is 1-0 with a 2.08 earned run average in two games (1 start) this season. In his first start since the 2006 campaign as a member of the Houston Astros, Nieve defeated the Yankees on June 13 with 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball.

The right-hander, who is replacing the injured John Maine in the Mets' rotation, has never faced the Rays in his career.

Tampa Bay hopes to get back on track Friday and has dropped two in a row since a six-game winning streak. The Rays won the first meeting with Colorado on Tuesday before losing the last two matchups, including yesterday's 4-3 setback in the series finale.

Ben Zobrist knocked in a pair of runs and Dioner Navarro had two hits and an RBI for Tampa Bay, which sits six games behind Boston for the top spot in the American League East standings. B.J. Upton and Jason Bartlett each finished with a pair of hits in a losing effort.

"I love the way we're playing, actually," Rays skipper Joe Maddon said on the team's Web site. "The first night, we beat them up pretty good. They outpitched us for two nights in two well-played games. We just could not get the hit when we needed to."

Rays starter Matt Garza was rocked for four runs on five hits, including three home runs, through five innings to absorb the loss. Andy Sonnanstine hopes for better results when he takes the ball for Maddon's club tonight. Sonnanstine has alternated wins and losses over his last five starts and is coming off a win over Washington on June 13.

Sonnanstine held the Nationals to three runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings to improve to 5-6 in 13 starts and lower his earned run average to 6.65. The righty is, however, just 1-6 with an 8.55 ERA in eight road starts this season and has never faced the Mets in his career.

Tampa Bay and New York are meeting for the first time since the Rays won two of three meetings at home from June 8-10, 2001. The Rays have won three of the past four matchups between the club's.

[metirish]

F-Mart down, Evans up

Before we get to the lineup, the Mets just announced that Fernando Martinez has been to demoted to Triple-A Buffalo and Nick Evans has been called up.

Now the lineup:

Cora - ss
Murphy - 1b
Beltran - cf
Wright - 3b
Sheffield - lf
Church - rf
Schneider - c
Castillo - 2b
Nieve - sp

D Lennon

[ashie62]

Lets

[ashie62]

Hoping Castillo is well received. Beyond the obvious muff he has gone above and beyond the call of duty this season

[Zvon]

GO

[Guest Swan Swan H]

METS

[Zvon]

Ouch.

Cant say Murph didn't get a good look at Sonnanstine in the 1st.
K's lookin at all 3 strikes.

[Zvon]

Schneider!

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Cool graphic, Zvon! Don't think I've seen that one before!

[Zvon]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: Cool graphic, Zvon! Don't think I've seen that one before!

Thnx.
Its an oldy.
Forgot I had it.
My photobucket is a mess.

Nieve gets the BIG dp!

[Zvon]

Wright with the clutch RBI double makes it 4-0 us

[Guest Kong76]

Nieve a godsend thus far.

2 hitter through the visitor's 4, Mets up 4-sniffle.

[Zvon]

As they said in the booth that drive to the wall in front of the bullpens by Zobrist would have been out of many ballparks.
Just a long F-8 here.

[Guest Kong76]

I think too much has been made of it, the home runs are starting to trickle in.
Schneider hit a freakin' bomb.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Evans on the bench wearing #6, talking with Ramon Martinez, who was wearing #6 until he got hurt, which Evans was wearing until he got sent down.

[Zvon]

Kong76 wrote: I think too much has been made of it, the home runs are starting to trickle in. Schneider hit a freakin' bomb.

I like how some spots are hard to get it out, some not so much.
I will always want them to make that left field wall a height that is more
conducive to home run robbing.

[Zvon]

Swan Swan H wrote: Evans on the bench wearing #6, talking with Ramon Martinez, who was wearing #6 until he got hurt, which Evans was wearing until he got sent down.

THATS 666!!!

*runs across room, jumps out window*

[Guest Swan Swan H]

So that's where the 'Devil' from Devil Rays ended up.

[Zvon]

Strawman iNdAhOuSe!

Murph with his second hit, a one out single.

[Zvon]

Orioles with a run in the 6th now are leading Phils 4-2.

[Guest Kong76]

Z: I will always want them to make that left field wall a height that is more
conducive to home run robbing. <<<

I could see them doing something in left the next off season or so.

[Zvon]

I like that play by Nieve too Keith.

4-1 as Upton crosses the plate on the nice ballsy play by Nieve.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Bobby: Not good since that Phillies series.

[Zvon]

Kong76 wrote: I could see them doing something in left the next off season or so.

I figure it's against the rules to do something like that mid season.
I really hope they do, and it has nothing to do with hitting homers, more so the chance to steal homers.
That's my favorite play in baseball and it should not be an impossibility.
(Course the green monster is an exception to that rule.)

They can even move the walls out a little to compensate if they want, tho I don't think its really needed.

If a fraction of the left field wall was the current height I'd be okay w/that.
Like towards the corner.

But I don't like how it stands now.

[Guest Edgy DC]

102 pitches is not a full workday.

[Zvon]

Burrell has finally reached his potential.
He really sucks all the time now

[Guest Edgy DC]

Your juju only works as a Phillie, Burrell.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Dumb and bad. Don't make Fernando cry.

[Zvon]

UGH, u cant let Upton get third there!
This is the shit I'm talking about.
There was no play at the plate there.

[Guest Edgy DC]

102 pitches is not a full workday.