Giants Manufacture Decisive Run With Two Out in Ninth
Jenrry Mejia held his palms to the sky and then put his hands on his hips as the gravity of the moment sank in. The first two outs of the ninth had come so easy, and then slowly, methodically, the San Francisco Giants worked their way back.
Gregor Blanco poked a single past a diving Daniel Murphy, then stole second. Buster Posey worked his fourth walk of the game. And Pablo Sandoval sliced a ball to left field that landed just inside the foul line and cheekily hopped into the stands, as if the ball were toying with the Mets.
Thus completed the Giants' 4-3 win Monday afternoon at Citi Field.
The Mets' starter, Dillon Gee, pitched admirably, which was encouraging for them, considering how he had struggled recently. After spending about two months on the disabled list with a right lat strain, he pitched well in his return July 9. Then came the All-Star break, after which he allowed 15 runs in his next three starts, all losses.
Mets Manager Terry Collins had noticed progress, though, and appeared unconcerned. He noted that when Gee is at his best, he commands and uses all of his pitches. That required a certain rhythm and feel that Gee had been deprived of. Collins said, 'I think the more he's out there, the more innings he accumulates right now, we're going to see the Dillon Gee we know he can be.'
On Monday, he allowed two runs to the Giants in five and two-thirds innings. In the third, in the span of four batters, Hunter Pence doubled, Posey drew a five-pitch walk and Sandoval doubled to the right-field gap to score them.
As Pence started the rally, two fans on the Shea Bridge beyond center field groaned loudly. Their names were Rory Buchanan and Erik Falcone, and they were two 19-year-old college students who had made it their mission this weekend to needle Pence by holding fluorescent signs with messages degrading his character.
To be fair, they said they were only standing there to avoid sitting in the upper deck, and they chose Pence only because he was the closest player, stationed in right field.
During Friday and Sunday's games, they were seen attacking his taste in movies ('Hunter Pence likes 'The Godfather 3' '), his dinner etiquette ('Hunter Pence eats pizza with a fork') and his driving skills ('Hunter Pence can't parallel park'). On Monday, one of their signs read: 'Hunter Pence brings 13 items to the express lane.'
Pence, though, did not seem affected. Over the four-game series, he drove in seven runs, the most any Giant had produced in a series all year. In the seventh, he tripled to deep left field, causing Chris Young and Juan Lagares to nearly collide. Two batters later, he scored on a wild pitch from Jeurys Familia to tie the score, 3-3.
Familia was not at his best. After Pence, he walked Blanco and Posey, and allowed a single to Sandoval. Blanco would have scored, but in one smooth motion Lagares charged, fielded the grounder and gunned out Blanco at home. Josh Edgin relieved Familia thereafter and, on his first pitch, induced a double play.
The Mets had several would-be heroes.
Murphy, who was given Sunday off to rest, played a part in all three Mets runs. First, he launched a two-run home run, his ninth of the season. Then in the fifth, he singled, stole second base, advanced to third as the throw floated into center field, and scored, with two outs, as David Wright legged out an infield single.
The rest of the Mets offense, though, stranded seven runners and batted 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. Tim Hudson, the Giants starter, would not break.
The Mets' frustration boiled over in the eighth. Lucas Duda took a low 3-2 fastball, and took a few steps toward first base. But it was called strike three by the plate umpire, Ben May. Duda turned and expressed his displeasure, then so did Collins, who was ejected. The Mets managed one hit over the final two innings.
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