5-Run First Puts Mets in Coast Mode

When your pitcher is pitching as well as Livan "likes his money" Hernandez was, you don't need too many runs to win. Turns out the Mets first inning was enough to help them take the rubber game of a 3-game series in Washington by a final score of 7-0.

The 5 runs they scored in the first inning alone was more than they mustered in the two previous games against the Nats combined. Leadoff hitter Alex Cora took advantage of Craig Stammen's wildness and drew a four-pitch walk to start things off and scored quickly on Fernando Martinez's double. (Sorry Fernando - can't call you F-Mart yet). After a Carlos Beltran's groundout advanced Martinez to third, David Wright walked and then Martinez scored on a wild pitch with Wright taking second. Daniel Murphy (who's playing a pretty solid first base for the team) singled to make the score 3-0. Imagine that - a first baseman playing a good first base. Remind me why he was in the outfield all those games...

Ryan Church (2 for 5) is back! And he made himself known with a double on the next play, enabling Murphy to take advantage of Brian Schneider's sacrifice fly. Then Church scored on another wild pitch by Stammen capping the big inning.

All through the game, Livan was great again. (I know - it's only the Nationals... but what do we keep saying? "You have to beat the teams you should beat to make it to the postseason). He went seven innings of 4-hit ball, walking 4 and K'ing 4 for his 5th win against only 1 loss. Feliciano, Parnell, and Rodriquez (pitching in a non-save situation) all did their jobs as well.

The Mets are still a very injured team. Tomorrow's a day off, but then the schedule starts to get extremely interesting. The Phillies are up next, followed by the Yankees, with Tampa Bay, St. Louis, then the Yankees again. Dear Mets... get well soon.

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