Somehow the New York Mets managed to pull out the 2-1 win against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night despite their best efforts to lose it. This time, though, it wasn't the bullpen's fault in a wild last few innings.
Jonathan Niese bounced back nicely from his last start, tossing seven innings, giving up a run on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts. The left-hander walked two in the first inning, but really settled down as he was able to spot his curveball much better than he did in his prior appearance. New York jumped out immediately to a 1-0 lead on a Ruben Tejada home run and scored the second run on a fielder's choice an inning later.
In the sixth inning, Niese left a cutter out over the middle of the plate that Buster Posey launched over the left-field wall to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Mets would then respond with three straight innings with the bases loaded, failing to score in a myriad of ways. In the seventh, Ruben Tejada walked with one out, Jordany Valdespin reached on an hour and David Wright walked. But Ike Davis, who has really gone cold of late, bounced into a double play to end that threat.
The eighth inning brought more disappointment. Daniel Murphy led of with a walk, stole second and then Jason Bay walked. Mike Baxter got it by the pitch, so the bases were loaded with nobody out. Again, though, they grounded into a double play that cut the run off at home, with Josh Thole doing the honors this time. Coach Terry Collins put on the risky double steal -- which was successful -- and then Justin Turner walked. But, Ruben Tejada quickly ended any hope with a groundout.
Only the Mets could end a ninth-inning threat this way: With one out, David Wright singled, Davis doubled and Murphy was intentionally walked. Jason Bay took possibly his best swing in months, lining a hot shot up the middle. Only Brad Penny snagged it at the mound and doubled off Murphy at first.
The game seemed fit to end in heartbreak, but Bobby Parnell came on and shut the door with two groundouts sandwiched in between a strikeout.