IGT 06/01 Metsies at Sillies

[Guest d'Kong76]

Did anyone really think Herman wasn't kickin' this off today?

NY Mets at Philadelphia
When: 1:35 PM ET, Sunday, June 1, 2014
Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
SportsDirect Inc.

The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies certainly are going the extra mile during their extended five-game series, highlighted by consecutive contests spanning 14 innings apiece. The Mets vie for both their fifth win in six outings and the series victory when the National League East rivals reconvene at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday. After host Philadelphia won Friday's marathon, David Wright provided the fireworks a day later with an RBI single in the 5-4 triumph.

Wright is just 3-for-18 in the series but owns a .329 career batting average (23-for-70) versus Sunday's scheduled starter, Cole Hamels. Ryan Howard also sputtered in the last three games before launching a three-run homer in the seventh inning to reach the 1,000-RBI plateau in his career. The Phillies slugger, who is 2-for-17 with eight strikeouts in the series, has fanned 10 times while going 3-for-21 lifetime against Jonathan Niese.

TV:
1:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), CSN (Philadelphia)

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Mets LH Jonathon Niese (3-3, 2.74 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cole Hamels (1-3, 4.43)

Niese settled for a no-decision in his last start after yielding a two-run single to Pittsburgh's Starling Marte with two outs in the sixth inning. The 27-year-old exited despite permitting just those two runs on three hits, but his season-high four walks drove up his pitch count. After tossing a seven-hit gem versus Philadelphia on April 29, Niese once again settled for a no-decision after allowing three runs in six innings against the Phillies on May 11.

Hamels pitched well in his last outing before serving up a three-run homer to Colorado's Wilin Rosario in the seventh inning that snapped a tie. The blast spoiled an otherwise solid start by the 2008 World Series MVP, who yielded four runs on three hits in seven frames. Hamels also settled for a no-decision against the Mets on May 11 despite allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out a season-best 10 in seven innings.

WALK-OFFS:
1. New York RF Bobby Abreu, 40, is doing his best to defy Father Time by recording multi-hit performances in four of his last six contests (9-for-20).
2. Philadelphia 3B Reid Brignac, who had the game-winning hit on Friday, is 2-for-10 with six strikeouts in the series.
3. Saturday's contest lasted 5 hours, 32 minutes - nine minutes more than Friday's marathon.

[Guest themetfairy]

The Diamond Knights will be in attendance for this one.

Niese will have to pitch 15 today, because the only one who can pitch in relief is Recker.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

With a lefty going and somebody badly in need of punishment, I'd go with the Tejada-Flores middle infield today.

We're gonna have a weird lineup anyway with Lagares likely out.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

4 out of 5 Old School Baseball Fellers* agree, harrumphing that, though they like the "cut of his sail," Murphy "could really use a day off... to put some pep in his step." (The other just kinda stood off to the side, shook his head at the dark-skinned players, and angrily spit a lot.)

[MFS62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: We're gonna have a weird lineup anyway with Lagares likely out.

Wait! What?
Why?

Later

[Guest d'Kong76]

metsdotcom has a blank lineup for the Mets. No one is playing.
The Sillies will go with:
Revere, CF
Rollins, SS
Byrd, RF
Ruiz, C
Howard, 1B
Mayberry, LF
Hernandez, 2B
Brignac, 3B
Hamels P

[Guest sharpie]

de-n
de-kker
de-moted

[Guest d'Kong76]

Maybe something's going down today! Odd with no line
up still with an hour or so de-game time. Probably just
sucky web-site-maintenance job though.

[TransMonk]

Mets
Juan Lagares, cf
Daniel Murphy, 2b
David Wright, 3b
Eric Campbell, 1b
Chris Young, lf
Curtis Granderson, rf
Ruben Tejada, ss
Travis d'Arnaud, c
Jonathon Niese, lhp

[ashie62]

Should be Abreu

[Guest d'Kong76]

Old men get Sunday's off!

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: 4 out of 5 Old School Baseball Fellers* agree, harrumphing that, though they like the "cut of his sail," Murphy "could really use a day off... to put some pep in his step." (The other just kinda stood off to the side, shook his head at the dark-skinned players, and angrily spit a lot.)

Today would have been a GRRReat! day to give Murphy off --- get Flores into the lineup against a lefty, keep Tejada in the lineup while he's swinging well, also against a right, have the Murphy in reserve to pinch-hit against a highhanded reliever... O, Terry.

Instead, he's 0-3 with two strikeouts. Up now, looking for redemption.

[Edgy MD]

And he essentially hits a GiDP, but bad fielding helps him out.

[Edgy MD]

That 3-2 pitch to Campbell just took about half an hour.

[Edgy MD]

Youngie just fouled off two hittables.

[Edgy MD]

Bleh.

[Edgy MD]

Solid D helps and a baserunning blunda helps 'em escape [fimg=12:2vpbzuel]http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131007075841/little-mix/images/9/91/Rickvanderzwet_treble_clef_1-1229px1.229120441.png[/fimg:2vpbzuel] in the bottom of the seventh.

[Edgy MD]

Weak head-first slide costs us a runner in scoring position.

A lot of guyz are playing like they need a day off.

[Edgy MD]

Lonesome.

[Edgy MD]

Upcoming is Phillie Phather's Appreciation Day. A phree phedora for all men 15 and older.

15?!

[Edgy MD]

Hey you freaks! Extries!`

[Edgy MD]

DudaBOMB!!

It's 4-2. SIGN IN, FREAKS!!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Kid-juggling. But watching.

That BooShot got a yelp out of YoungerPooper (from inside her living-room tent-fort).

[Edgy MD]

Boo IS a friend of all children.

[Edgy MD]

Campbell-Young-Grandy in the outfield. Murphy at second, and Doo at first.

Not our showcase defense for the save attempt.

[Edgy MD]

I'd certainly be tempted to at least send den Dekks out there and slide Young over to left.

[Edgy MD]

Not that Young would have caught that, but cheeee...

[Edgy MD]

Tying run and his name is Ryan Howard.

[Edgy MD]

PAH! A long slog but the Mets clinch the series.

Frustrating to watch the offense flail, but it shows character to outlast the other, I suppose.

[Guest themetfairy]

Edgy MD wrote: Upcoming is Phillie Phather's Appreciation Day. A phree phedora for all men 15 and older. 15?!

In fairness, their kids giveaways are for 14 and under.