The Game

On the heels of strong performances by Tony Armas, David Wright, and Ramon Castro, the New York Mets came away with an impressive 7-4 come from behind victory over the Cardinals in St. Louis Tuesday night.

After Monday’s latest disappointing Met loss, New York looked to bounce back by turning to Tony Armas, Jr, who was making his first start for New York after being called up from AAA New Orleans. Armas got a quick introduction to just how frustrating his new team could be in the top of the first inning, an inning that would see the Mets get two hits and a walk but manage to not score a run (thanks to Jose Reyes being thrown out by about 45 feet on his attempted steal of second and Endy Chavez breaking for home on a wild pitch, only to have the ball bounce off the brick wall behind home plate and right back to catcher Yadier Molina). The Cards had no such frustration in the home half of the first as Rick Ankiel HGH’d a two run homer to right center field, giving St. Louis a quick 2-0 lead. The Mets got one back in the top of the second on a Damion Easley RBI groundout, but the Cards reclaimed a two run lead in the bottom of the second on a Skip Schumaker RBI double.

The score remained 3-1 Cardinals heading into the fourth inning. After leaving runners on base in each of the first three frames, the Mets didn’t waste their chance in the fourth as Ramon Castro ripped a clutch two run double into the left center field gap that scored Carlos Delgado and Damion Easley to tie the game at three. The fifth inning brought more offensive production as the Mets continued to tattoo Cards’ starter Todd Wellemeyer. Carlos Beltran, the only Met starter not to get a hit on the night, put New York in front on an RBI groundout. Ryan Church laced an RBI double down the first base line and would later come around to score an a Ramon Castro RBI single. The 6-3 lead was turned into a 7-3 lead in the sixth thanks to David Wright’s 16th homer of the year.

Meanwhile, after the first two frames, Tony Armas settled down. He would keep the Cardinals from scoring again until the sixth inning, when Yadier Molina’s sac fly made the score 7-4 in Armas’ final frame. The Met bullpen came on to pitch three scoreless innings to close it out. Billy Wagner collected his 19th save of the year in pitching a perfect ninth while striking out two. All in all, it was a positive night for the Amazins as they were able to show some character after quickly falling behind 2-0 and 3-1. The Mets once again look to get back to the .500 mark on Wednesday night when Pedro Martinez, let’s face it…. he is due to pitch a gem, takes on the Cards’ erratic Joel Pineiro.

The Haiku

Armas picks his spots
Wright homers, Delgado- three hits
Mets need more Castro!

The Boxscore

The Win Probability Added Graph

The Credits

Recap by Chuck Buono
Haiku by Howard Megdal