Mets-Cards Wednesday Live Blog
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by user El guapo
Last night I kept a "live blog" of the Mets extra-inning loss to the Cardinals over on my home blog, The Ballclub, posting after every half inning. Here are the highlights (or lowlights, as the case may be):
Top 1: It's taken me a long time to figure out exactly what to call the thing on Spiezio's chin. I finally figured it out, and it's just about right, so let's just dispense with it here: it's a merkin (link nsfw). A merkin. Spiezio doubles to left.
I'm all set to make fun of the fact that the Cards' cleanup hitter is Juan Encarnacion, who at 31 is at least five years younger than I thought he was, and he doubles in a run. Odaliz Perez strikes out someone I've never heard of before last night's game (Ryan Ludwick) to end the inning. 0-1, Cards.
Bottom 1: Todd Wellemeyer! Meet the Mets, Meet the Mets...! Reyes singles, steals advances on a groundout, gets driven home by a Beltran double. Meet the Mets...! 1-1.
Top 2: I glance at the Internet, look up, and there's already two outs as Perez strikes out catcher Kelly Stinnett, who came out of retirement to be Gary Bennett's backup.
Keith is always better when you unfairly take him out of context: "I only have two balls. I can't go to three."
3: Awkward pause as the crew waits for Willie Randolph to join them for a between-inning interview. He talks about the June slump and injuries. He's still talking as the game resumes, and you get the feeling he'd rather not be. Reyes flies out on the first pitch as the interview ends. Gary Cohen informs us that Willie, sometime during the Dodgers series, picked up a chair and threw it, breaking a door. I feel that much better about Willie knowing that, and I already liked Willie.
Top 6: Kevin Burkhardt tells us about the GourMets Family Cookbook, which I will absolutely be ordering a copy of, you better believe. DO YOU SMELL WHAT WILLIE IS COOKING?!?!
Bottom 6: Wright walks as Beltran steals third with two outs. This brings Delgado up, who doesn't have an RBI in that situation, it seems, all season long. It's very hard to watch Delgado go through this. This is just the kind of moment he's supposed to be around for. And he grounds harmlessly to second. I haven't been this depressed since they shot Bodie.
Top 7: The Merkin strikes again! The Merrrrrrkinnnnnnn! That's Heilman's first inherited runner allowed this year. God-fucking-dammit. Valentin had it with time and bobbled it, and now Pujols is up. He grounds out to Reyes in a fielder's choice. 1-2, Cardinals.
Top 9: It's getting crazy out there. Taguchi almost gets doubled off running too far on a routine fly ball out by Spiezio, but Beltran's throw to first sails wide pulling Delgado way off the bag. Mota K's Pujols (you suck, Pujols). Encarnacion grounds out, and it's time for some more late-game magic from the Mets. Shawn Green will come up third.
Bottom 9: Can he do it again? Can he do it?! Kind of! Green works out a walk after battling from 0-2 and lining a long foul ball to left. And Valentin doubles in Green! The Cards kick the ball around and Valentin makes it to third. Green was running on the play; he doesn't score otherwise. Good stuff all around. That's Izzy's third blown save of the season.
Ledee walks, pinch-hitting for Carlos Gomez, and takes second on defensive indifference. It's down to Julio Franco and his .196 batting average. And it's a 4-3 groundout to end the inning.
Schoeneweis post-mortem: Brendan Ryan continues his assault with a leadoff home run in the 11th. He's a one-man wrecking crew. Ron has already called him scrappy and compared him to David Eckstein in yet another depressing episode. Kennedy immediately singles and steals second. By the way, Brendan had six home runs in four minor league seasons. After the intentional walk to Pujols, Scotty leaves to a shower of well-deserved boos.
The immortal Randy "Linoleum" Flores will come in to face Shawn Green, who again represents the tying run. Shawn, have I told you lately that I love you and that I never meant all those thoughtless things I said about you in spring training? What things, you say? Ummm, never mind. Let's just focus ont the moment.
Green pops up. Valentin flies to right. I go to bed. Good night, kids.
