In Game Two of the day/night doubleheader the New York Mets (76-82) plated five runs in the third inning, for a 6-3 victory. It was the Mets second comeback victory against the Philadelphia Phillies (98-60), as well as the second doubleheader sweep of the season.
On if he was pleased with the way his team has responded after their last homestand, Mets manager Terry Collins had this to say, “I am very pleased, I talked to a number of guys on the road trip and told them we owe the people who come to this ballpark energy- so you have got to find some way to reach down for something extra…and they have done that ever since.”
Today’s doubleheader sweep was the first for the Mets since June 29, 2007 in Philadelphia. New York also rallied in both games for the first time since August 15, 2000 at Shea Stadium vs. Colorado.
“For us to beat that team (the Phillies) as good as they are, it is big for us,” Collins said of beating Philadelphia. “We need the confidence to know that we can compete, and I’m very proud of the way our guys played today.”
“It is nice-I’m more thinking about how the season is going to finish for me,” Gee said. “Wins and losses doesn’t tell the whole story, just look at the season that R.A. is having-he pitched a heck of a game earlier and didn’t get the win. Tonight you just have to give credit to this win to the hitters, who really put me in the position to pick up the victory.”
In spite of allowing a career-high nine hits tonight, Gee was able to tie Gary Gentry for fifth most wins by a Mets rookie and now leads the New York pitching staff in wins thus far this season.
On if he is satisfied with the way the season is winding down for him Dillon had this to say, “I’m not satisfied with the way I finished this season. At least tonight I was able to bear down, and somehow got it done.”
“A big goal of mine is to make my starts every five days. I want to take the ball and do the best I can to help the team win,” Gee had this to say on what he hopes accomplish next year, “ I want to be more consistent though and that is something that I am going work on in the offseason.”
New York came storming back in the bottom of the third, as RBI hits from Nick Evans and Josh Thole highlighted the inning. The Mets were able to add an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth as Ruben Tejada laced an RBI single, which gave New York the 6-3 lead.
The pen came through in a big way for both games, as Bobby Parnell and Manny Acosta played a huge part in both games. Parnell is now tinkering with a knuckle-curveball, which was taught to him by veteran reliever Jason Isringhausen.
Parnell used the off-speed pitch in both games and recorded one strikeout. As for Acosta, the righty closed out both wins for the Mets today. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last Mets to accomplish that feat was Armando Benitez on August 15, 200 at Shea Stadium.
“The thing that it is going to do is that it is going to give him something that is not hard,” Collins said of the new pitch. “Everything that Bobby Parnell throws is max effort-this gives him something off-speed that once he gets command of it-they just can’t sit on the fastball. It gives those guys something else to think about-I think it is going to be a good pitch for him.”
Either way it seems as if Acosta is making his mark as a potential closer for New York next season, as he has impressed in the opportunities that he has in shutting down the opposing teams.
The finale of this three-game set is scheduled for Sunday, as New York will send out Mike Pelfrey (7-12, 4.58 ERA) to take on Phillies-ace Roy Halladay (18-6, 2.41 ERA). The first pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m.
Note: Mets first base coach Mookie Wilson will no longer be with the team for the rest of the season due to a death in his family. Wally Backman will serve as Wilson’s replacement for the rest of the season.
Original story was used on the Examiner.com site on September 24, 2011 and can be found here:
http://www.examiner.com/new-york-mets-in-new-york/mets-use-five-runs-to-beat-phillies-game-two-6-3