GAME THREAD: NL: NY METS (67-52) at PITTSBURGH (49-69)

NL: NY METS at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NY METS (7) AT PITTSBURGH (10) - EVENT LOG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ny Mets Starting Lineups -- J Reyes SS, L Castillo 2B, D Wright 3B, C Beltran CF,
M Alou LF, S Green 1B, M Anderson RF, M DiFelice C, B Lawrence RHP.

Pittsburgh Starting Lineups -- N McLouth CF, C Izturis 3B, F Sanchez 2B,
A LaRoche 1B, J Bay LF, J Bautista RF, J Wilson SS, R Paulino C, T Armas RHP.

Umpires -- Chad Fairchild (HP), Gerry Davis (1B), Brian Gorman (2B),
Paul Nauert (3B).

Gametime Weather: 82 degrees, Cloudy, wind out to left at 9 mph.


NY METS 1ST: J Reyes walked. J Reyes stole second. L Castillo grounded out
to shortstop, J Reyes to third. D Wright struck out swinging. C Beltran
homered to right, J Reyes scored. M Alou walked. S Green walked, M Alou to
second. M Anderson struck out looking. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY METS 2,
PITTSBURGH 0.

PITTSBURGH 1ST: N McLouth flied out to right. C Izturis walked. F Sanchez
grounded into fielder's choice to second, C Izturis out at second. A LaRoche
grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 2, PITTSBURGH 0.

NY METS 2ND: M DiFelice grounded out to third. B Lawrence popped out to
shortstop. J Reyes singled to right center. J Reyes stole second. L Castillo
singled to left center, J Reyes scored. D Wright lined out to center. (1 Run,
2 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 3, PITTSBURGH 0.

PITTSBURGH 2ND: J Bay struck out swinging. J Bautista flied out to right.
J Wilson struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 3, PITTSBURGH 0.

NY METS 3RD: C Beltran singled to center. M Alou singled to left,
C Beltran to second. S Green walked, C Beltran to third, M Alou to second.
M Anderson grounded into fielder's choice to second, C Beltran out at home,
M Alou to third, S Green to second. M DiFelice popped out to shortstop.
B Lawrence reached on infield single to shortstop, M Alou scored, S Green to
third, M Anderson to second. J Reyes walked, S Green scored, M Anderson to
third, B Lawrence to second. F Osoria relieved T Armas. L Castillo grounded
out to second. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 5, PITTSBURGH 0.

PITTSBURGH 3RD: R Paulino walked. F Osoria sacrificed to third, R Paulino
to second. N McLouth flied out to center. C Izturis lined out to second.
(0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 5, PITTSBURGH 0.

NY METS 4TH: D Wright reached on infield single to shortstop. C Beltran
grounded into double play, first to shortstop, D Wright out at second. M Alou
flied out to left. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY METS 5, PITTSBURGH 0.

PITTSBURGH 4TH: F Sanchez walked. A LaRoche homered to right, F Sanchez
scored. J Bay hit by pitch. J Bautista struck out swinging. J Wilson
grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, J Bay out at second. R Paulino
doubled to deep right center, J Wilson scored. F Osoria grounded out to
pitcher. (3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 5, PITTSBURGH 3.

NY METS 5TH: S Green reached on infield single to shortstop. M Anderson
flied out to center, S Green to second. M DiFelice grounded out to pitcher.
B Lawrence singled to left, S Green scored, B Lawrence to second on throwing
error by left fielder J Bay. J Reyes singled to right, B Lawrence to third.
L Castillo singled to center, B Lawrence scored, J Reyes to second. D Wright
grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, L Castillo out at second. (2 Runs,
4 Hits, 1 Error) NY METS 7, PITTSBURGH 3.

PITTSBURGH 5TH: N McLouth walked. N McLouth stole second. C Izturis
singled to right, N McLouth to third. F Sanchez grounded into fielder's choice
to right, C Izturis out at second. A LaRoche flied out to left. J Bay singled
to center, N McLouth scored, F Sanchez to second. J Bautista popped out to
pitcher. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 7, PITTSBURGH 4.

NY METS 6TH: C Izturis at shortstop. J Castillo at third base. C Beltran
doubled to deep right center. C Beltran stole third. M Alou lined out to
third. S Green grounded out to first. M Anderson intentionally walked.
M DiFelice hit by pitch, M Anderson to second. R Gotay hit for B Lawrence.
R Gotay grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY METS 7, PITTSBURGH 4.

PITTSBURGH 6TH: G Mota relieved B Lawrence. J Castillo grounded out to
second. R Paulino doubled to deep right center. J Phelps hit for F Osoria.
J Phelps lined out to first. N McLouth doubled to right center, R Paulino
scored. C Izturis popped out to shortstop. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 7,
PITTSBURGH 5.

NY METS 7TH: S Torres relieved F Osoria. J Reyes lined out to second.
L Castillo grounded out to second. D Wright singled to center. C Beltran lined
out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY METS 7, PITTSBURGH 5.

PITTSBURGH 7TH: F Sanchez walked. P Feliciano relieved G Mota. A LaRoche
singled to right, F Sanchez to second. A Heilman relieved P Feliciano. J Bay
singled to left center, F Sanchez scored, A LaRoche to second. J Bautista
sacrificed into fielder's choice to pitcher, A LaRoche to third, J Bay to
second. J Castillo singled to left center, A LaRoche scored, J Bay to third,
J Bautista to second. R Paulino struck out swinging. X Nady hit for S Torres.
X Nady grounded into double play, second to first, J Castillo out at second.
(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 7, PITTSBURGH 7.

NY METS 8TH: D Marte relieved S Torres. M Alou grounded out to shortstop.
S Green walked. M Anderson grounded into double play, shortstop to first,
S Green out at second.(0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 7, PITTSBURGH 7.

PITTSBURGH 8TH: N McLouth struck out swinging. C Izturis grounded out to
third. F Sanchez safe at second on throwing error by third baseman D Wright.
A LaRoche singled to right, F Sanchez scored, A LaRoche to second on error by
catcher M DiFelice. J Bay singled to left center, A LaRoche scored, J Bay to
second advancing on throw. J Bautista singled to left, J Bay scored.
J Castillo struck out swinging. (3 Runs, 3 Hits, 2 Errors) NY METS 7,
PITTSBURGH 10.

NY METS 9TH: M Capps relieved D Marte. M DiFelice struck out swinging.
D Easley hit for A Heilman. D Easley walked. J Reyes flied out to left.
L Castillo grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY METS 7,
PITTSBURGH 10.</div>

 

NL: NY METS at PITTSBURGH

<div class="pre">NY METS (7) VS PITTSBURGH (10) - FINAL

NY METS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
J Reyes ss 4 2 2 1 2 0 1 .304
L Castillo 2b 6 0 2 2 0 0 4 .316
D Wright 3b 5 0 2 0 0 1 4 .310
C Beltran cf 5 1 3 2 0 0 2 .264
M Alou lf 4 1 1 0 1 0 1 .316
S Green 1b 2 2 1 0 3 0 1 .270
M Anderson rf 4 0 0 0 1 1 4 .231
M DiFelice c 4 0 0 0 0 1 4 .267
B Lawrence p 3 1 2 2 0 0 0 .286
a-R Gotay ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .343
G Mota p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
P Feliciano p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
A Heilman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
b-D Easley ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .273

Totals 38 7 13 7 8 3 24

a-grounded to second for B Lawrence in the 6th; b-walked for A Heilman in the
9th.

BATTING: 2B - C Beltran (24, F Osoria). HR - C Beltran (22, 1st inning off T
Armas 1 on, 2 Out). RBI - C Beltran 2 (71), L Castillo 2 (7), B Lawrence 2 (2),
J Reyes (48). 2-out RBI - C Beltran 2, L Castillo 2, B Lawrence 2, J Reyes.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - L Castillo 2, M Anderson 1, R Gotay
2, D Wright 1. GIDP - C Beltran, M Anderson. Team LOB - 13.

BASERUNNING: SB - J Reyes 2 (60, 2nd base off T Armas/R Paulino 2), C Beltran
(16, 3rd base off F Osoria/R Paulino).

FIELDING: E - D Wright (14, throw); M DiFelice (1, catch). Outfield assists -
M Anderson (C Izturis at 2nd base). DP: 1 (L Castillo-S Green).


PITTSBURGH ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
N McLouth cf 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 .247
C Izturis 3b-ss 4 0 1 0 1 0 2 .253
F Sanchez 2b 3 3 0 0 2 0 3 .302
A LaRoche 1b 5 3 3 2 0 0 3 .255
J Bay lf 4 1 3 3 0 1 0 .255
J Bautista rf 5 0 2 1 0 1 3 .260
J Wilson ss 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 .266
J Castillo 3b 3 0 1 1 0 1 1 .264
R Paulino c 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 .242
T Armas p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .214
F Osoria p 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000
a-J Phelps ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333
S Torres p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
b-X Nady ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .286
D Marte p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
M Capps p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000

Totals 36 10 13 9 5 6 22

a-lined out to first for F Osoria in the 6th; b-grounded to second for S
Torres in the 7th.

BATTING: 2B - R Paulino 2 (19, G Mota, B Lawrence); N McLouth (14, G Mota). HR
- A Laroche (18, 4th inning off B Lawrence 1 on, 0 Out). S - F Osoria. RBI - A
LaRoche 2 (69), R Paulino (38), J Bay 3 (78), N McLouth (23), J Castillo (19),
J Bautista (41). 2-out RBI - R Paulino, J Bay 2, N McLouth, J Bautista. Runners
left in scoring position, 2 out - C Izturis 2, F Osoria 1, J Bautista 1. GIDP -
X Nady. Team LOB - 9.

BASERUNNING: SB - N McLouth (9, 2nd base off B Lawrence/M DiFelice).

FIELDING: E - J Bay (7, throw). DP: 2 (A LaRoche-J Wilson, C Izturis-A
LaRoche).


----------------------------------------------------
NY METS - 212 020 000 -- 7
PITTSBURGH - 000 311 23x -- 10
----------------------------------------------------

NY METS ip h r er bb so hr era
B Lawrence 5 4 4 4 4 3 1 5.06
G Mota 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 5.80
P Feliciano 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 2.98
A Heilman (L, 7-5) 2 6 3 0 0 3 0 3.43

PITTSBURGH ip h r er bb so hr era
T Armas 2 2/3 6 5 5 5 2 1 6.58
F Osoria 3 1/3 6 2 2 1 0 0 4.26
S Torres 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 5.40
D Marte (W, 1-0) 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.88
M Capps (S, 11) 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 2.40

G Mota pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.
P Feliciano pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.

IBB - M Anderson (by F Osoria). HBP - J Bay (by B Lawrence); M DiFelice (by F
Osoria). Pitches-strikes: B Lawrence 88-55; G Mota 21-12; P Feliciano 4-3; A
Heilman 44-29; T Armas 74-38; F Osoria 47-32; S Torres 11-7; D Marte 12-6; M
Capps 20-13. Ground balls-fly balls: B Lawrence 6-6; G Mota 1-2; P Feliciano
0-0; A Heilman 3-0; T Armas 3-3; F Osoria 7-3; S Torres 1-2; D Marte 3-0; M
Capps 1-1. Batters faced: B Lawrence 24; G Mota 6; P Feliciano 1; A Heilman 12;
T Armas 19; F Osoria 17; S Torres 4; D Marte 3; M Capps 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Chad Fairchild. 1B--Gerry Davis. 2B--Brian Gorman. 3B--Paul
Nauert.

T--3:14. Att--36,447.
Weather: 82 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 9 mph, out to
left.</div>

 

Late errors help Pirates rally over Mets

<h3>PITTSBURGH 10, NY METS 7</h3>PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Freddy Sanchez scored as a result oftwo New York Mets' errors in the bottom of the eighth inning asthe Pittsburgh Pirates avoided a three-game series sweep with acome-from-behind 10-7 triumph on Thursday.


Adam LaRoche hit his 18th homer and Jason Bay had three hits andthree RBI for Pittsburgh, which snapped its three-game losingstreak.


After wiping out deficits of 5-0 and 7-3, the Pirates scoredsingle runs in the fifth and sixth, two in the seventh to tieand added three more runs in the eighth to take the lead forgood.


"It's nice to see that we're not lying down, we're notquitting," LaRoche said. "It says a lot about the character ofthis team. Obviously, the Mets are playing for a lot more rightnow, and for us to still be going out and playing every inninglike it's our last is fun to watch."


All the action in the eighth came after two were out againstreliever Aaron Heilman (7-5). Sanchez reached second on athrowing error by third baseman David Wright and scored onLaRoche's run-scoring single to right. Right fielder MarlonAnderson's throw to the plate was not handled by catcher MikeDiFelice, and the error allowed Sanchez to score.


Bay and Jose Bautista each stroked RBI singles for a three-runbulge.


"That's a great offensive team over there, but with the waywe've been swinging the bats, it wasn't out of the question we'dget a few runs," Bay said. "And even at 5-0, you try to chipaway, and pretty soon you look up there and you're a run or twobehind."


Pittsburgh's Damaso Marte (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth forthe win and closer Matt Capps earned his 11th save by pitchingthe ninth.


Carlos Beltran went 3-for-5 and hit his 22nd home run for theMets, who lead the Philadelphia Phillies by three games and theAtlanta Braves by 3 1/2 games in the National League East.

"It's a giveaway game, and it can't happen," Mets manager WillieRandolph said. "These guys play us tough here, but there's noexcuse for it. We weren't able to put them away, and you've gotto give them credit for battling back. But there's no way weshould lose game like that."


Beltran, who finished the series 6-for-14 with two homers andsix RBI, gave the Mets a 2-0 lead with his shot into the rightfield seats off of Pittsburgh starter Tony Armas Jr. that scoredJose Reyes, who was on base four times and stole two bases.

New York added a run in the second, when Luis Castillo drove inReyes with an RBI single and took a 5-0 lead for the secondnight in a row an inning later on starter Brian Lawrence'ssingle and a bases-loaded walk to Reyes.


Armas, who had won his previous two starts to lower his ERA to6.13, allowed five runs and six hits with five walks through 22/3 innings. He struck out two.


"Just my mechanics, everything was off," Armas said. "You haveto give the guys credit. They never gave up and they picked meup."


Meanwhile, Lawrence carried a no-hitter into the fourth inningbut that was promptly broken up by LaRoche's homer that wentover the set of elevated bleachers in right. Later that inning,a Paulino double drove in Jack Wilson to slice the lead to 5-3.

New York got two of those runs back the following half-inning onRBI singles by Lawrence and Castillo. The Pirates tacked onone in each of their next two innings when Bay singled home NateMcLouth in the fifth and McLouth doubled in Paulino in thesixth.


"We had that big lead, but they kept making things happen,getting runners on," New York's Shawn Green said. "In thisgame, you've got to keep moving forward, and (Thursday) wastough, but (Friday) we've got to bounce back."


Lawrence, making his third start of the season for the Metsafter spending most of the season in Class AAA, allowed fourruns and four hits with four walks in five innings.

Pittsburgh tied it in the seventh when the first five batters ofthe inning reached against three different Mets relievers, butthe Pirates could add no more with the bags full and nobody outwhen Paulino struck out and pinch hitter Xavier Nady groundedinto a double play.


"That was a tremendous come-from-behind win," Pirates managerJim Tracy said. "To come back after we lost the first two(games of the series) the way we did and stay with it is just agreat effort, especially the way things started out."

 

Late errors help Pirates rally over Mets

<h3>PITTSBURGH 10, NY METS 7</h3>By Chris Adamski
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Freddy Sanchez scored as a result oftwo New York Mets' errors in the bottom of the eighth inning asthe Pittsburgh Pirates avoided a three-game series sweep with acome-from-behind 10-7 triumph on Thursday.


Adam LaRoche hit his 18th homer and Jason Bay had three hits andthree RBI for Pittsburgh, which snapped its three-game losingstreak.


After wiping out deficits of 5-0 and 7-3, the Pirates scoredsingle runs in the fifth and sixth, two in the seventh to tieand added three more runs in the eighth to take the lead forgood.


"It's nice to see that we're not lying down, we're notquitting," LaRoche said. "It says a lot about the character ofthis team. Obviously, the Mets are playing for a lot more rightnow, and for us to still be going out and playing every inninglike it's our last is fun to watch."


All the action in the eighth came after two were out againstreliever Aaron Heilman (7-5). Sanchez reached second on athrowing error by third baseman David Wright and scored onLaRoche's run-scoring single to right. Right fielder MarlonAnderson's throw to the plate was not handled by catcher MikeDiFelice, and the error allowed Sanchez to score.


Bay and Jose Bautista each stroked RBI singles for a three-runbulge.


"That's a great offensive team over there, but with the waywe've been swinging the bats, it wasn't out of the question we'dget a few runs," Bay said. "And even at 5-0, you try to chipaway, and pretty soon you look up there and you're a run or twobehind."


Pittsburgh's Damaso Marte (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth forthe win and closer Matt Capps earned his 11th save by pitchingthe ninth.


Carlos Beltran went 3-for-5 and hit his 22nd home run for theMets, who lead the Philadelphia Phillies by three games and theAtlanta Braves by 3 1/2 games in the National League East.

"It's a giveaway game, and it can't happen," Mets manager WillieRandolph said. "These guys play us tough here, but there's noexcuse for it. We weren't able to put them away, and you've gotto give them credit for battling back. But there's no way weshould lose game like that."


Beltran, who finished the series 6-for-14 with two homers andsix RBI, gave the Mets a 2-0 lead with his shot into the rightfield seats off of Pittsburgh starter Tony Armas Jr. that scoredJose Reyes, who was on base four times and stole two bases.

New York added a run in the second, when Luis Castillo drove inReyes with an RBI single and took a 5-0 lead for the secondnight in a row an inning later on starter Brian Lawrence'ssingle and a bases-loaded walk to Reyes.


Armas, who had won his previous two starts to lower his ERA to6.13, allowed five runs and six hits with five walks through 22/3 innings. He struck out two.


"Just my mechanics, everything was off," Armas said. "You haveto give the guys credit. They never gave up and they picked meup."


Meanwhile, Lawrence carried a no-hitter into the fourth inningbut that was promptly broken up by LaRoche's homer that wentover the set of elevated bleachers in right. Later that inning,a Paulino double drove in Jack Wilson to slice the lead to 5-3.

New York got two of those runs back the following half-inning onRBI singles by Lawrence and Castillo. The Pirates tacked onone in each of their next two innings when Bay singled home NateMcLouth in the fifth and McLouth doubled in Paulino in thesixth.


"We had that big lead, but they kept making things happen,getting runners on," New York's Shawn Green said. "In thisgame, you've got to keep moving forward, and (Thursday) wastough, but (Friday) we've got to bounce back."


Lawrence, making his third start of the season for the Metsafter spending most of the season in Class AAA, allowed fourruns and four hits with four walks in five innings.

Pittsburgh tied it in the seventh when the first five batters ofthe inning reached against three different Mets relievers, butthe Pirates could add no more with the bags full and nobody outwhen Paulino struck out and pinch hitter Xavier Nady groundedinto a double play.


"That was a tremendous come-from-behind win," Pirates managerJim Tracy said. "To come back after we lost the first two(games of the series) the way we did and stay with it is just agreat effort, especially the way things started out."