NewsMets seek relief for 'pen from Parnell
New York (57-67) vs. Philadelphia (71-50), 1:10 p.m. ET
By Tim Britton / MLB.com
08/23/09 6:45 PM ET
NEW YORK -- Oliver Perez lost one game for the Mets on Sunday. The Mets hope Perez's inability to get out of the first inning doesn't also cost them the series finale with the Phillies on Monday afternoon at Citi Field. Even after a superb day from the bullpen and a near comeback in Sunday's 9-7 loss, the Mets will have to deal with the residue of Perez's 47-pitch, two-out performance. Perez's early exit -- the first time a Mets starter departed a game in the first inning since Perez did it last June -- put a heavy burden on the already sagging shoulders of the Mets' bullpen. Nelson Figueroa, Pat Misch, Sean Green and Elmer Dessens all pitched in to complete the final 8 1/3 innings Sunday. Misch did the brunt of the work, as his four innings of one-hit ball constituted the second-longest relief appearance of his career. It also allowed the Mets to creep back into the game, coming from six runs down to put the tying run on base with nobody out in the ninth. Misch's quartet of innings was enough to save the Mets from using their most important relievers. Francisco Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, Brian Stokes and Pedro Feliciano are all rested for Monday. But Perez's pair of outs came at a tough time for the Mets, who had used seven pitchers Saturday night in relief of Tim Redding. Redding pitched the best he has all season, allowing only one hit in five innings. He was, however, working on two days' rest and transitioning from the bullpen back to the rotation, limiting him to those five frames. Misch was called up as an extra pitcher with Redding entering the rotation. But having the seventh reliever is negated somewhat by the uncertain circumstances surrounding Wagner. Sunday was Wagner's scheduled day to pitch as he returns from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery, and the left-hander was warming up in the Mets' bullpen in the eighth. But with the team three runs down, manager Jerry Manuel opted for Dessens. That means Wagner is available to pitch Monday -- provided he's still with the team. Wagner was claimed on waivers by the Red Sox on Friday, and the Mets have until Tuesday to work out a deal with the reliever with Boston or keep him on their roster. With Misch all but unavailable having thrown 47 pitches on Sunday and Wagner's status up in the air, the Mets are left with one southpaw reliever against the Phillies' lefty-loaded lineup. The Mets have another reliever-turned-starter on the hill on Monday in Bobby Parnell. Parnell's pitch limit for his past two outings has been 85; he just exceeded that number in six shutout innings two starts ago against the Giants and didn't get the chance to reach it in his last outing, a 15-2 loss to the Braves. For their bullpen's sake, the Mets hope Monday's Parnell is closer to the one who blanked San Francisco. Otherwise, Perez's brevity might cost the Mets twice in the series. Pitching matchupNYM: RHP Bobby Parnell (3-5, 4.74 ERA)
Parnell's third start was a large step back from his second, as he allowed nine runs in three innings against the Braves on Wednesday. As in his first start, Parnell had trouble locating his offspeed pitches and was forced to go to his fastball too often, especially in an eight-run Atlanta second inning. Parnell has appeared in six games against the Phillies this season as a reliever, with an 0-2 record and a 3.38 ERA. Pedro Feliz is 2-for-4 off Parnell while Chase Utley is 1-for-1 with a game-winning home run. PHI: LHP Cliff Lee (11-9, 2.72 ERA)
Lee is 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA in four starts with the Phillies, who acquired him July 29 in a trade with the Indians. He has allowed just 18 hits and six walks in 33 innings. He has struck out 34. Opponents have hit .161 against him. He is 7-0 with a 1.09 ERA in his past seven starts, which include his final three with Cleveland. "It's similar," Lee said, asked to compare this seven-start stretch with how he pitched last season when he won the American League Cy Young Award. "It's kind of the same, I guess. Last year is over. This game is over. My job is to prepare for the next one. I don't really sit there and think, 'My last four or five starts I did this.' I really don't look at it like that." Tidbits
The unassisted triple play Jeff Francoeur hit into Sunday was the first a Met had hit into one to end a game. The last Met to hit into a triple play of any kind was Edgardo Alfonzo on May 15, 1999. The unassisted triple play, turned by Eric Brunlett, was just the 15th in Major League history, the first for the Phillies since Mickey Morandini turned one on Sept. 20, 1992, and only the second to end a game. The first to end a game was turned by Tigers first baseman John Neun on May 31, 1927. ... Angel Pagan's inside-the-park homer to lead off the game was the first of his career and the first at Citi Field. Damion Easley hit the last inside-the-parker for the Mets on Aug. 2, 2007, in Milwaukee. It was the second time in Mets history they led off a game with an inside-the-park home run, as Charlie Neal did it on May 7, 1963 -- also against the Phillies. ... Pagan became the first Met since Tim Bogar on Aug. 14, 1993, to hit an inside-the-park home run and a traditional home run in the same game. ... X-rays on Francoeur's left thumb were negative after the game. Francoeur bruised the thumb while making a diving catch in the top of the ninth. ... Pedro Martinez improved to 11-3 lifetime against the Mets. He had lost his past three decisions against them before Sunday. ... Luis Castillo had three more hits Sunday, giving him six consecutive multihit games. Castillo is 14-for-23 in those half-dozen contests. ... Daniel Murphy extended his modest hitting streak to nine games, collecting three base hits. Tickets
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• Tuesday: Mets (Johan Santana, 13-9, 3.13) at Marlins (Sean West, 4-5, 4.70), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Mets (Mike Pelfrey, 9-8, 4.67) at Marlins (Josh Johnson, 12-3, 2.99), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Mets (TBD) at Marlins (Anibal Sanchez, 2-4, 4.97), 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.
