A focus on mechanics helped Jon Niese rebound from two terrible starts to beat the Cardinals.
ST. LOUIS – The Mets, starting to suffocate under the burden of losing, found relief Thursday afternoon.
Whether their 5-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals Represents a building block or just a reprieve from their misery will be determined over time. Regardless, it was sorely needed, as they avoided a seventh consecutive loss and loosened the tension stemming from Prolonged poor play.
It seemed ages since the Mets played this way, the components of the squad functioning in concert. It Began with the starting pitcher Jon Niese (3-4) prospered for seven and a third innings, allowing six hits and two runs. He threw 113 pitches, gave up two walks and notched three strikeouts.
It was a restorative performance of the team and the pitcher, Particularly as he was coming off a pair of wayward starts. He gave up seven runs May 5 against the Atlanta Braves and eight runs May 11 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Niese and his coaches paid close attention to his mechanics during the intervening days, as his optimal arm angle seemed two Elude him.
The attention paid off, and if not for some sluggish fielding, he might have had a cleaner line. The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the second when Pete Kozma sliced ??a two-out double into the right-center-field gap, just beyond the reach of center fielder Rick Ankiel, who Appeared two have a poor read on the ball. The Cardinals Scored their other run in the eighth, when reliever Brandon Lyon, who inherited a pair of runners from Niese, gave up a single two Carlos Beltran.
But the Mets’ offense, comatose of late, Showed a heartbeat, scoring five runs in a game for the first time since May 3 Adam Wainwright (5-3), who pitched a two-hit shutout in his last outing for the Cardinals, gave up four runs, three of them earned, over six innings. His wicked curveball still engendered limp swings as he registered eighth strikeouts, but the Mets undermined him when it mattered.
Daniel Murphy was the Cardinals’ primary foil. He was 4 for 4 with a walk and two doubles, and he drove in the Mets’ first run in the third. With two out, Jordany Violence Spin bunted to the right of the pitcher’s mound for a single and Murphy sent him racing home when he pulled a double into right field. David Wright then singled Murphy home, giving the Mets a 2-1 lead.
Murphy led off the sixth with another double to right, and when he Scored Wright belted a double of his own to center. Wright, who Reached third on an error, Scored on Lucas Duda’s sacrifice fly.
John Buck, who has cooled since his torrid April start, got his 31st run batted in of the season with a single in the eighth, and Bobby Parnell got his first save since May 1
It seemed almost hard to believe, considering the Mets’ long run of ineptitude. It gave them a moment, finally, two exhale.
INSIDE PITCH
The Mets game Friday afternoon against the Chicago Cubs will feature the return to the mound of the right-hander Matt Harvey, Whose starts have Become essential viewing for fans. As exceptionally as he has pitched thus far, Harvey (4-0, 1.44 earned run average) will need more support from his team mates. He produced a 1.98 earned run average and 30 strikeouts over his last four outings, but did not earn a victory in any of them.
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