The New York Mets held on to beat the Miami Marlins 5 – 3. It was a great game. Jose Reyes came back to the team with a big bang – with three hits, a stolen, two runs score and an RBI.
“I’ve been working hard since November. I never stopped working or stopped believing in myself and what I can do on the field when somebody gives me the opportunity,” Reyes said in an interview.
James Loney added a two-run insurance homer — a blast into the second deck in right — off Fernando Rodney in the ninth.
In the bottom of the 9th, Mets closer Jeurys Familia allowed one run, but ultimately recorded his 50th straight regular-season save to clinch the victory. Are any of you like me who feel that even though Familia has saved so many, he’s put us in many positions where we are on the edge of our seat, in an angst-ridden inning before saying ‘okay, I got this’? Last night was no exception. A run scored in the 9th and the tying runs on base – I know each game can’t be this perfect neat-and-tidy 1-2-3 inning, but boy it would be nice to have them.
On the Mets blog, one fan wrote, “Hip Hip Hurray,,, for Familia . But why do his saves have to have so much drama connected with them? I shudder to think if he’d been working on a one-run lead what last night’s result would have been. Does he work differently with a three-run cushion? Why can’t it be a three up – three down lights out save? I can’t watch him any longer. It’s better off to watch the Mets Fast Forward game review.
I get it man, I get it.
Familia became the fourth closer in major league history to save at least fifty games in a row. He follows joining Eric Gagne (84), Tom Gordon (54) and Jose Valverde (51). Familia, now with 34 saves in 34 chances this season, has a 2.58 ERA 1.26 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings pitched.
CONSECUTIVE SAVES
Eric Gagne 84 (2002-2004)
Tom Gordon 54 (1998-1999)
Jose Valverde 51 (2010-2011)
Jeurys Familia 49 (2015-present)
John Axford 49 (2011-2012)
Jacob deGrom starts tonight’s game in Miami. He comes off his best game of the season in which he only allowed one hit and pitched his first career complete game. He said he found the feel for his changeup in the win, but he’ll be challenged by a tougher Marlins lineup. He will face Juan Fernandez who fanned 14 Phillies for the fourth time in his career and became the fastest starter, by innings pitched, to 500 career K’s.
The New York Mets have moved to within a half-game of second place, a position occupied by the Miami Marlins. They are 51 – 44, but they are 4 – 6 in their last 10 games. There’s still a lot of ball to play, but we need to see that the Mets aren’t completely damaged this year before we even think they can contend for the playoffs. Besides, many of their best players are in the team’s infirmary right now. Also, there were 7 strikeouts and a whopping 18 men left on base – 18!
In other news, New York Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler was quoted as saying, “We set out a plan, we try and follow that, but some days you have your ups and downs, so we’re just playing it by ear,” he says, who, who underwent surgery in March 2015. He was thought to be coming back around the All-Star break, but ended up with a cortisone injection instead. “I felt pretty good. I’m happy where I’m at right now, coming off the little setback that I had.”
HOF PLAQUE AT CITI FIELD: Mike Piazza’s Baseball Hall of Fame plaque will be on display in the New York Mets Hall of Fame at Citi Field for Mets fans to see from July 29-31.
