D'Backs Take Rubber Game From Mets, 4-1

By Joe Janish
Posted Monday, June 4, 2007

FLUSHING, N.Y. -- Not a great game for the Mets.

Oliver Perez did not pitch poorly, and kept the Mets in the game. He threw 7 complete innnings, and gave up 4 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, and struck out 5. However, the Mets could do nothing against soft-tossing Doug Davis, and thus was saddled with the loss.

The only run scored by the Mets came on a Carlos Delgado groundout that scored Endy Chavez. The four runs scored by the D’Backs were unexciting, scratch-out runs. A truly boring game for fans of explosive offense, and equally uninteresting for those who enjoy a pitching duel — though both pitchers did well, neither was what you would define as dominating.

Notes

Carlos Gomez started in rightfield and went 2-for-4. However, both he and Ben Johnson were way too aggressive in the ninth inning against meltdown specialist Jose Valverde.

For the second time in three games, the Mets had difficulty getting their leadoff man on base. The leadoff Met in an inning managed to reach base only twice in nine chances.

The Mets’ best chance to score in the game came in the 8th inning, when they loaded the bases with two out. Too little, too late.

Ruben Gotay did not play despite his three-hit night on Saturday. In addition, Willie Randolph was lukewarm when asked if Gotay might hang around as injured players come off the DL. Does anyone have any idea what Gotay did to tick off Willie? I get the feeling that he would have sat today even if he went 5-for-5 — despite the Mets’ need for offense right now.

FYI, former Met Victor Diaz went 2-for-4 with two homers and 5 RBI for the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon. He’s now batting .297 with 7 HRs and 16 RBI in just 21 games and 64 ABs. Anyone who read this blog last year knows how I feel about Diaz … and we could sure use an outfielder like him right now.

Next Game

Mets have Monday oph and then phace the Phillies at Shea. Game time is 7:10 PM, and it will be a duel of sopht tossers Tom Glavine and Jamie Moyer.

**Read more from Joe Janish at: www.metstoday.com