Mets 5 – Marlins 4
One by one, Mets players have picked themselves up after nearly being knocked out. And one by one, they’re inspiring each other during emotional comebacks like yesterday’s 5-4 victory over Florida.
“We’re able to come back now,” Bobby Valentine said. “We’re starting to find that character fiber that’s needed in every team.”
If anything’s become certain after 50 games, it’s that no one player can carry the Mets (22-28). Not even a star like Mike Piazza, who broke a 7-for-60 slump with a 415-foot solo home run leading off the eighth inning. The Mets catcher ignited a three-run rally, though, giving his team the impetus to keep grinding despite trailing 4-2 after seven.
“I was fortunate today that at least [the home run] gave us some momentum,” said Piazza, who was 0-for-12 on the homestand before the blast. “It’s just great to help the team, at least feel like I contributed to the team.
“I never felt this team ever got discouraged. We just keep pressing along.”
The unlikeliest hero of all was Darryl Hamilton, who stepped to the plate in the Mets’ eighth with a .125 average and his ears ringing from day-long boos by the 41,991 at Shea Stadium. That Hamilton was even in the game at that point is a testament to the unshakable confidence Valentine has in him. The Mets skipper honestly believed Hamilton was going to get a hit with one on and one out.
“When a guy has the same uniform as I have, I pull for him,” Valentine said. “Sometimes people think it’s a blind faith, but it’s a total faith.”
Hamilton lined a pitch to center field off reliever Dan Miceli (0-4), and Preston Wilson, the bane of the Mets’ existence this series, dove for it. The ball dropped in and skipped behind Wilson as pinch-runner Joe McEwing sped around the bases to tie the game at 4-4.
“The way I was thinking was it had been tough so far, and [Wilson would] probably catch it,” Hamilton said. “Hopefully this is the start of [a good streak].”
Rey Ordonez nearly drove in the go-ahead run, but first baseman Derrek Lee snagged Ordonez’s hot shot and almost turned a double play to escape the eighth. Instead Lenny Harris, the most automatic pinch-hitter in baseball, came through in the clutch again.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Harris smoked a first-pitch fastball from Ricky Bones to right field. Hamilton scored the go-ahead run – a long way from where the Mets were against starter Matt Clement, who scattered five hits through seven innings.
“We don’t like coming back,” Harris said. “We want to get off to a good start, but we haven’t.
“We’re still scratching and clawing and trying to get back on top. Everybody’s not on all cylinders right now, but we have to go with what we have.”
The top of the ninth was a stomach-churner. Armando Benitez nearly threw away the lead after giving up a one-out walk and single, and then hurling a wild pitch to put men at second and third. Benitez recovered, however, striking out Luis Castillo looking and Eric Owens swinging to end the game, giving the Mets their seventh win in 10 games. Turk Wendell (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless eighth in relief of Dicky Gonzalez.
The Mets took three of four from the Marlins, and host the NL East leading Phillies for three games beginning today.
“Don’t go out there and try to win 10 in a row, just try to win series,” Harris said. “Guys are starting to come around a little bit.
“We struggled earlier, but we kept fighting.”
Gonzalez battled his way to a no-decision despite not having anything on his fastball. He lasted a career-high seven innings, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs.
The right-hander fell behind 3-0 in the first because he couldn’t get loose, and then threw a gopher ball to Wilson in the third.
“Dicky went out without his good stuff and seemed to get better as the game went on,” Valentine said. “He held them at bay. I think that was as big a part of the game as any.
“We’re starting to believe a little.”