With the Arizona Diamondbacks clinging to a 1-0 lead for three-quarters of the game Friday night, it would've been easy based on the way this season has gone to see the New York Mets lose by one run and have the critics point at what could have been. After all, the team had just two hits in six innings, yet for the first time this year, Mike Pelfrey was exceptional on the mound. Instead, though, the team showed some fight, spurred by an Ike Davis seventh inning, two-run homerun to lead the Amazin's to an eventual 4-1 victory.
Let's make no mistake about it, Joe Saunders is one of the most hittable pitchers there is in the National League. Putting up just two hits against him isn't very encouraging, but it shows you what a fickle game baseball can be because as soon as he was replaced Esmerling Vasquez got two quick outs, but left a pitch out over the heart of the plate that Davis pummeled, driving home David Wright, who had walked. At first it was ruled a ground-rule double, but after video review it was shown to have gone over the centerfield homerun line. It was one of those straightaway blasts that really show you how much power Davis possess.
Pelfrey tossed seven innings of one-run ball, striking out four and allowing just five hits. His ERA also dropped from close to 10 to 7.23 and despite some early trouble, was able to settle down for a very steady start. Davis' homerun essentially gave Pelfrey his first win of the season and it was definitely well deserved.
One of the bright spots of this season continues to be Jason Isringhausen. He came in for the eighth inning and shut the heart of the order down, 1-2-3. After an inning in which the Mets take the lead, it's crucial that whoever is pitching shuts down the opposing offense and doesn't cough the lead back up. Izzy was great tonight and as long as he can handle it, he'll probably be the bridge to Francisco Rodriguez for the foreseeable future.
The Mets would add some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning after the Mets converted on two D'Backs' errors: Carlos Beltran was able to single in Jose Reyes and Mike Nickeas was safe at first on an error by Ryan Roberts ant third base to score Daniel Murhpy.
Rodriguez would close it out for his third save of the year in the ninth.