NewsManuel calls for solidified relief
New York (28-23) at Pittsburgh (24-28), 7:05 p.m. ET
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
06/03/09 12:55 AM ET
PITTSBURGH -- Long ago, back when Joe Torre was the Mets' manager and winning as a rarity, the search for silver linings was a nightly activity. A three-hit performance in an eight-run defeat was the kind of achievement in which Torre hung his hope. And one night, he compared the search to rummaging through he trash to find the $5 bill inadvertently dropped into the can."You've got to go through baloney skins, egg shells and wet paper towels, and then you see your five," Torre said.
Manager Jerry Manuel found his five on Tuesday night amid the coffee grinds, discarded olives and an unbecoming 3-1 loss to the Pirates. It was in the form of 1 1/3 hitless innings thrown by Sean Green, who didn't allow a walk, either. Once Manuel deemed Johan Santana's workday complete, he turned to Green, the least effective of the Mets' relievers in the first 50 games, and Green responded with four outs on four ground balls.
It wasn't his first perfect outing. Indeed, in three of his past six appearances, Green has pitched at least one inning and not allowed a baserunner. Each appearance was in a loss, but a turnaround has to start somewhere.
"Everyone down there [in the bullpen] has to take a big role now," Manuel said. "We can't afford to give up runs late if we're going to have trouble scoring. We need him to get back to where he was."
The Mets' need for relief pitching is likely to increase this week, after Mike Pelfrey faces the Pirates on Wednesday. Tim Redding, the scheduled starter for Thursday afternoon, has been quite ineffective in his two most recent starts. And John Maine, scheduled to start against the Nationals on Sunday, has been weakened by the stomach virus that forced him from his last start.
Green began the season as the seventh-inning pitcher. He has been displaced by Bobby Parnell, who now may see some eight-inning setup work, if the problems of J.J. Putz persist.
"You'd like to have all your bullpen guys going at once," Manuel said last week. "We haven't had that for a while."
Pitching matchupNYM: RHP Mike Pelfrey (4-1, 3.88 ERA)
Pelfrey continued his run of strong performances, overcoming some personal demons against the Marlins by allowing one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings Friday at Citi Field. The start was his longest this season and the first in which he surrendered fewer than two runs. Now he opposes the Pirates, who didn't score against him in his lone career start against them last August. Pelfrey pitched seven shutout innings en route to a 2-1 victory at PNC Park. Adam LaRoche had three hits in three at-bats in that game. Since Pelfrey's streak of 76 batters without a strikeout, he has struck out 17 batters in 27 2/3 innings. PIT: RHP Ross Ohlendorf (5-5, 4.45 ERA)
Ohlendorf was unable to string together two successive solid starts. He lasted merely five-plus innings and allowed four runs in a loss to he Astros on May 29. He threw 97 pitches, his second-highest total this season, and his three walks tied for a season high. Ohlendorf has two appearances against the Mets in his career; both in relief last summer. He allowed 10 runs and eight hits in only 1 2/3 innings.
Tidbits
With three hits against Zach Duke on Tuesday night, Jeremy Reed is batting 1.000 against left-handed pitching -- 4-for-4. ... David Wright has one hit and eight strikeouts in his most recent 20 at-bats. ... The steady diet of fastballs for Omir Santos has ended. Sliders, sliders and more sliders.
The 1969 Mets moved into a tie for second place on this date when they defeated the Dodgers, 5-2, at Shea Stadium. Tom Seaver was the winning pitcher, and Ed Kranepool hit two home runs. ... On this date in 1997, the Mets and Bobby Jones beat Pedro Martinez and the Expos for the second time in seven days at Shea Stadium. A pinch-hit home run by Matt Franco and a run-scoring double by Carlos Baerga in the eighth inning were the difference in the 2-1 victory. Jones, who had pitched a four-hit shutout in Montreal on May 28, emerged from the victory with a 10-2 record. And Martinez's career record against the Mets was 10-2 at the time.
A.J. Burnett (8 2/3 innings) and Antonio Alfonseca combined on a four-hitter in a 1-0 Marlins victory against the Mets at what was then was Pro Player Stadium in Miami on this date in 2001. Turk Wendell allowed the run in the ninth on a double by Luis Castillo and a single by Preston Wilson. ... Three years later, the Mets and Jae Seo beat Burnett, 4-1, at Shea with Mike Cameron and Ty Wigginton driving in two runs each.
Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio• Gameday
• Official game notes On television
• SNY On radio
• WFAN 660, WADO 1280 (Español) Up next
• Thursday: Mets (Tim Redding, 0-2, 9.20) at Pirates (Jeff Karstens, 2-2, 4.83), 12:35 p.m. ET
• Friday: Mets (John Maine, 5-3, 3.75) at Nationals (Shairon Martis, 5-1, 5.62), 7:05 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Mets (TBD) at Nationals (John Lannan, 2-5, 4.21), 7:05 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.
