NewsK-Rod ready to go in Mets' finale
New York (18-14) vs. Atlanta (16-17), 1:10 p.m. ET
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
05/13/09 2:09 AM ET
NEW YORK -- With his tongue in his cheek -- well, maybe -- Francisco Rodriguez said he isn't paid to win games, but to save games."Usually, you have to pitch two [innings] to get a win," he said. Such is the life of a closer.
He hardly was upset by his winning experience Tuesday night. K-Rod gained his first victory with the Mets, pitching the last two innings in their 10-inning, 4-3 game against the Braves. He allowed two hits and a walk and, perhaps, more importantly, he threw 26 pitches, more than he had in all but two of his first 14 appearances.
Moreover, K-Rod pitched two innings for the first time -- in a big league game -- since May 13, 2006, when he threw two innings for the Angels against the Mariners.
With the Mets playing a day game Wednesday, he might not be as fresh as he'd like to be.
"But he'll be ready," pitching coach Dan Warthen said. "I have not question. He is amazing that way."
The appearance Tuesday was his first in five days, and that five days followed appearances -- and saves -- in four consecutive games.
"No problem," Rodriguez said after the game. "I was pretty good in the second inning. I was throwing offspeed pitches when I was behind and getting strikes. I was fresh after the first inning, I threw 10 pitches.
"I'll be ready tomorrow and the next day and the next. Oh yeah."
Pitching matchup
NYM: LHP Jon Niese (0-0, 3.00 ERA)
Niese's fourth big league start didn't produce his second big league victory Friday night. What he won was another shot at that second victory. Now he is to face the Braves, against whom he gained his first victory last season. Niese pitched eight scoreless innings against the Braves at Shea Stadium on Sept. 13, allowing six hits and two walks. He struck out seven. He wasn't quite that effective against the Pirates on Friday, allowing two runs -- the Mets' poor defense contributed to both -- on seven hits and no walks in six innings. He struck out five. But the zero walks is what was most conspicuous to his manager. The Braves' victory against Johan Santana on Monday night was their eighth in 12 games in which they have been opposed by a lefty starter. ATL: LHP Jo-Jo Reyes (0-2, 5.48 ERA)
Despite going 0-9 with a 6.61 ERA in his past 19 big league appearances (18 starts), Reyes is getting another chance to get an elusive win against the Mets. The 24-year-old has provided indications that he's improved since last year. But in three of his first four starts this season, he's been been undone by one damaging inning. Reyes has an 0-1 record and with a 8.74 ERA in three career starts against the Mets. Left-handed hitters are batting .143 in 28 at-bats against him this season, but right-handed hitters have a .288 average and a .593 slugging percentage in 59 at-bats. Jose Reyes has hit two home runs in five career at-bats against the Braves' southpaw. The Mets' record is 3-1 in games in which they have been opposed by lefty starters. Tidbits
The Mets' starting pitchers have a 6-1 record and a 2.20 ERA in the past seven games. In that sequence, each starter has pitched at least six innings and allowed no more than three runs. ... Mike Pelfrey had gone 76 batters without a strikeout before he struck out Kelly Johnson to start the game Tuesday night. Three Mets pitchers produced longer streaks -- Craig Swan, 91 batters in 1979; Galen Cisco, 86 in '63 and Terry Leach, 79 in '89. ... Alex Cora moved from second base to first in the 10th inning and played the position for only the second time in his career. He had played three innings at first May 19, 2007, with the Red Sox against the Braves.
This date in Mets history -- May 13: Remnants of the largest night crowd in the history of Shea Stadium -- 56,658 -- saw the Mets lose, 5-4, to the Giants in a game begun on this date in 1966. Jim Davenport's home run off Dave Eilers, in his fifth inning of relief, decided the four-hour and 27-minute game. Willie Mays had tied the score in the eighth inning. ... A single by Ernie Banks with two out in the eighth inning was the lone hit allowed by Gary Gentry in the fifth one-hitter in Mets history and the second of three the team pitched in 28 days in 1970. The Mets beat the Cubs, 4-0, at Wrigley Field. Nolan Ryan had pitched a one-hitter against the Phillies on April 18, and Tom Seaver pitched one against the Phils two days after Gentry's.
The great Juan Marichal beat the Mets 26 times and lost only eight times, including a game at Shea, on this date in 1972. Buzz Capra (eight innings) and Tug McGraw combined on a three-hitter. Capra drove in the game's lone run in the second inning. ... Four years ago, Cliff Floyd hit two home runs against Jason Marquis, as Tom Glavine, Roberto Hernandez and Braden Looper combined on a five-hitter in the Mets' 2-0 victory against the Cardinals at Shea. ... And on May 13 last year, Ryan Church drove in four runs against his former team, and John Maine allowed three base runners in six innings in the Mets' 6-3 victory against the Nationals at Shea.
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• WFAN 660, WADO 1280 (Español) Up next
• Thursday: Mets (John Maine, 3-2, 4.54) at Giants (Jonathan Sanchez, 1-3, 4.78), 10:15 p.m. ET
• Friday: Mets (Livan Hernandez, 3-1, 5.08) at Giants (Tim Lincecum, 3-1, 3.25), 10:15 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Mets (Johan Santana, 4-2, 0.78) at Giants (Randy Johnson, 3-3, 5.89), 4:10 p.m. ET
Marty Noble is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
