NewsMets bullpen rested for finale
New York (25-20) vs. Washington (13-32), 7:10 p.m. ET
By Tim Britton / MLB.com
05/27/09 1:42 AM ET
NEW YORK -- The lasting image of the Mets toward the end of 2008 might just be that of manager Jerry Manuel wearing out the path between the top step of the dugout and the pitcher's mound, signaling toward his bullpen.It certainly wasn't the serenity of the quiet and inactive relief corps Tuesday night, when Livan Hernandez tossed the Mets' first complete game of the season in a 6-1 win over the Nationals.
The bullpen barely had to move during Hernandez's 127-pitch gem -- an Adam Dunn seventh-inning home run the only blemish on the scoreboard.
The 46th complete game of Hernandez's career marked the first time a Mets pitcher has lasted beyond the seventh inning, but it was also another in a string of solid performances from starters over the past week. Mets starters have pitched at least seven innings in four of the last six games.
That consistency from the starters has limited the pressure on the bullpen, meaning more rest for relievers such as J.J. Putz and Pedro Feliciano, who are tied for second in the National League with 24 appearances.
"We were pretty much seeing who was warming up for the other team," Putz said of the bullpen's duties during the night.
Feliciano and Bobby Parnell warmed up briefly in the eighth inning Tuesday, but Hernandez was able to induce fly-ball outs from Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman with runners at second and third to preserve the five-run lead.
"It's great -- [Hernandez has] been doing that a long time," Putz said. "He's always been a guy that can go deep in games and is not on a pitch count. It's just a matter of how he feels. That's Livan, right there."
The Mets enter Wednesday's series finale armed for the sweep with a rested bullpen. Of course, that rest could be a moot point with ace Johan Santana on the mound. Santana has pitched into the seventh in all but two of his starts this season, although he is coming off an outing with a season-high 118 pitches last Friday in Boston.
Santana has often been the victim of porous defense behind him-something that has plagued the Mets throughout the season. Opponents have scored seven unearned runs in Santana's nine starts this year.
The Mets have not, however, committed an error in their past four games -- since the three they had in Santana's last start -- and the defense was sparkling behind Hernandez. Luis Castillo and Ramon Martinez teamed up for three double plays while Angel Pagan threw Josh Bard out at home in the fifth inning.
"The team behind me was unbelievable," Hernandez said. "The defense and offense were really good."
Pitching matchup
NYM: LHP Johan Santana (6-2, 1.50 ERA)
Allowing three runs -- two earned -- to the Red Sox on Friday, Santana won his second successive start. He has now served up nine runs over his past two outings and won both of them, after allowing merely eight runs over his first seven starts combined. And his next matchup, at home against the Nationals, is far more favorable than his last one. Santana has already beaten the Nats once this year, and he was 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA against them last season.
Zimmermann's last start was his best one in almost a month. Having allowed 13 first-inning runs in his previous five starts, Zimmermann threw a simulated game in the bullpen before his last start, pretending it was the first inning. The exercise helped, as Zimmermann didn't allow a run in the first inning and proceeded give up just two runs in seven innings. The right-hander struck out seven batters and walked only one. Tidbits
Since Carlos Delgado was assigned to the disabled list May 16, Gary Sheffield has batted .407 with eight runs scored, three home runs, 10 RBIs and seven walks. His on-base percentage in that sequence is .529. ... Sheffield now is tied with Eddie Murray for 24th place on the all-time home run list with 504. Mel Ott is 23rd with 511. ... Fernando Martinez, 20, became the youngest player to debut in a Mets uniform since Jose Reyes, who was 19 years, 11 months and 30 days on June 10, 2003. ... Oliver Perez made the first start of his Minor League rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Buffalo, allowing a run on three hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out five and threw 88 pitches only 48 for strikes. ... The postponed Mets-Phillies game of May 3 has been rescheduled as part of a day-night separate admission doubleheader Sept. 13. The starting times are 1:05 and 8:05 p.m. ET.
This date in Mets history -- May 27: In 1969, the Mets lost to the expansion Padres, 3-2, at Shea Stadium on this date. The loss, their fifth straight, dropped their record to 18-23. They were in fourth place in the National League East, nine games from first. But they didn't lose again for two weeks, winning 11 successive games. Eleven remains the longest winning streak in franchise history, though it has been equaled three times. When the streak ended, they were in second place, seven games out and starting to become legitimate contenders to win their first NL East title. ... A bases-loaded triple by Wayne Garrett and a run-scoring double by Roy Staiger produced the four-run rally that carried the Mets to a 5-2 victory the Phillies at the Vet on this date in 1976.
The 1986 Mets fought their way to the division championship -- literally. Their first of the four skirmishes they had that season involved the Dodgers at Shea Stadium on this date. The Mets took exception to a pitch from reliever Tom Niedenfuer in the sixth inning. It struck Ray Knight, who had batted after a grand slam by George Foster. Knight rushed the mound, and a genuine fight ensued. Niedenfuer emerged with conspicuous scratches across his rather conspicuous forehead, the work, he said, of Darryl Strawberry. The Mets won the game, 8-1. The fight was a split decision in the Mets' favor.
Lesser-known Mets combined to beat the Reds at Shea in this date in 1994. Luis Rivera hit a two-run home run in the second inning, Pete Smith pitched a complete game and Shawn Hare scored one run in 10-2 victory against mostly anonymous Tim Pugh. ... On this date in 2000, Todd Zeile hit two home runs, including a grand slam. The Mets hit two other home runs and beat the Cardinals, 12-8, in St. Louis. ... And on May 27, 2006, David Wright had four hits and Tom Glavine put his record at 8-2 in the Mets' 7-4 victory against the Marlins in Miami.
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• WFAN 660, WADO 1280 (Español) Up next
• Wednesday: Off-day
• Friday: Mets (Mike Pelfrey, 4-1, 4.31) vs. Marlins (Sean West, 0-0, 3.60), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Mets (John Maine, 4-3, 4.18) vs. Marlins (Josh Johnson, 3-1, 2.67), 1:10 p.m. ET
Tim Britton is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
