The .500 New York Mets (39-39) are putting R.A. Dickey (3-7 3.76) on the mound to try to finally be 1 game over .500 this season. Dickey has been the most consistent Met starting pitcher this year, despite his 3-7 record.
The Detriot Tigers will counter with Rick Porcello (6-5 4.50), a Setan Hall product who has had his up and downs. In the last 3 games pitched by Porcello, hitters are batting .365, and the Mets bats are on fire as of late.
Justin Turner has moved down to the 7th spot in the batting order because manager Terry Collins thinks Turner isn't swinging as well as he could because of his thumb issue.
Middle reliever Taylor Buchholz has been resting at home, and there are no signs he will be back soon.
David Wright is expected to bat off a tee Tomorrow.
Jose Reyes is playing his 1,000th game of his career.
Reyes' 14 triples are tied for the most by a player through 78 games since 1919.
On this day, Nolan Ryan was signed to the Mets by Red Murff in 1965.
Mets are 21-19 on the road this season, which is impressive. Last year, the Mets couldn't win 7 road series.
Buffalo Bison Nick Evans has extended his hitting streak to 18 games.
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With a normal Jose Reyes single to start the game, Willie Harris and Carlos Beltran saw 3 pitches combined, to get out on 2 fly balls. Porcello trying to pick off Reyes, threw a wide throw to 1st baseman Miguel Cabrerra, allowing Reyes to go to second base. Murphy then ripped a line drive double to center field, over the fast Andrew Jackson, scoring Jose Reyes to give the Mets an early lead of 1-0. Pagan then laced a ground ball double down the 1st base line, scoring Daniel Murphy to give the Mets another run, making the score 2-0. Jason Bay grounded out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, with 2 outs, 9th hitter Josh Thole ripped a home run to deep right field. His first of the year. Then, Jose Reyes smacked a triple down the right field line, his 15th of the year. Then, Willie Harris smoked a line drive to right field, on a hop to the wall scoring Reyes, Harris had to stop at first base. The score was 4-0. Then Beltran killed a liner to center field for a single, moving Harris to second base. Murphy then hit a ground ball in the gap between the shortstop and third baseman, Harris ran home, and made the score 5-0. And that was all for Rick Porcello finishing just 3 2/3 innings. Daniel Schlereth came in for Porcello and didn't look any better. He walked Pagan to fill the bases. And with the Mets not having a grand-slam since Augest 1, 2009, Jason Bay smacked a grand-slam to deep left field to brake the game out to a 9-0 lead. Duda was retired to end the inning.
After Justin Turner walked, and Josh Thole struck out in the top of the 5th inning, Reyes hit a double off the wall in left field, Turner stopped at third base giving Reyes his forth hit of the day. Willie Harris then got beaned, and Carlos Beltran was up with bases loaded. Yes, Carlos Beltran hit a grand slam to deep right field to make the score 13-0.
In the bottom of the 5th inning, Ryan Raburn singled to right field, and then Austin Jackson killed a deep left center home run to cut the score to 13-2.
In the bottom of the 7th inning, Andy Dirks hit a home run to right field to make the score 13-3.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, Angel Pagan walked, then moved over to second on a balk. Jason Bay grounded out, allowing Pagan to go to third base. Lucas Duda then grounded out to first base, and Pagan couldn't go home the sharp grounder. But then somehow Justin Turner was able to hit a bloop single in left center field to bring home Pagan to make the score 14-3.
With Manny Acosta coming in to close the 11 run lead in the 9th, he finished the game awith a 1-2-3 inning and the final score was 14-3.
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Rick Porcello (6-6 5.06) looked awful, allowing 11 hits, 0 walks, 7 earned runs, and striking out 0 on 71 pitches through 3 2/3 innings, receiving the loss.
R.A. Dickey (4-7 3.77) pitched 7 somewhat solid innings of work getting the win. Letting up 9 hits, 3 walks, 3 earned runs on 6 strikeouts pitching 112 pitches.
The Mets hit two grand-slams, one from Jason Bay and one from Carlos Beltran. The last time the Mets hit two grand slams in a game was in 2006.
Josh Thole hit his first home run of the season, starting the huge rally, leading to the Jason Bay Grand-Slam.
The Mets went 299 games without a grand-slam.
The last time the Mets had 14-plus hits in three or more straight games was in July of 2008.
Jose Reyes has hit 4 hits in two consecutive games, and has been unbelievable this whole season.
The Mets have went on a tear versus the American league teams and are finally over .500. They had 4 games where they coulnd't win those, when they were ".500" games. You can see that the Mets have heart, they will fight, and they will win.
The Mets have scored 36 runs in a 3 game stretch, most since in August 2005.
This season reminds me of the 2000 Mets. In 2000, the Mets were Mike Piazza, and guys who wanted to win. This year, the Mets are Jose Reyes, and guys who want to win. In 2000, the Mets made the world series. Now the Mets are over .500, a hump that no one thought was possible, especially with this team. The Mets can end up at 4 games behind in the NL Wild Card race if the Braves lose tonight against the Mariners. What a road this has been, as the Mets continue to impress.
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