Mets take Rangers series, winning without the long ball
The Mets took the finale in Arlington versus the Rangers on Sunday by a score of 8-5, thus winning the series 2-1. In the opening game, the Mets managed only one run, but then exploded for 22 runs in the final two games. Lucas Duda was a key hitter in Saturday’s contest, while Jose Reyes collected three more hits with one being a triple. Reyes’s average is now .341 for the year, leading the majors.
I was at Sunday’s game, and it was great. Let me just say, the Rangers have a great stadium. With the porch in right field and the grass in center, it makes it a great baseball atmosphere. All I could think about looking at the wall in center was Gary Mathews’s home run robbing catch at the wall in 2006. In the video, the wall seems so much far away than in person. Of course, that’s the norm. On tv, the field seems like such an expanse while in person, the field isn’t as large as you may think. I was very fortunate to have unbelieveable seats which were three rows from the field and it was as though I could reach right over the wall and shake hands with Chip Hale.
Before the game, my brother and I collected some autographs from pitchers Tim Byrdak, Jon Niese, and Pedro Beato. I also got Ruben Tejada’s autograph, the only position player because during day games, the players don’t do their stretching until a few minutes before the game. Nonetheless, I was very happy with the autographs. I was especially fond of Tim Byrdak, who signed autographs for the entire row of fans lined up along the wall. He was very outgoing and was very kind. Not that everyone else wasn’t nice, but he was especially outgoing, as was Tejada.
Once the game started, it was a HOT one. And I am in no way exaggerating. It was about 103 during the game, and our seats were right in the sun. I wasn’t very tan when I entered the stadium, but I was as red as a lobster when I left. Needless to say, when I awoke this a.m. I was in a deal of soreness. Advice for anyone who is going to a Rangers game, sunblock is a must!
During the game, Gee wasn’t dominant, but he was able to get the jon done. The Mets’ offense provided Dillon with a 1-0 lead, but he then proceeded to give up two after that, but then shut down the Texas offense. Dillon Gee earned the win, putting his win total to 8 wins with only 1 loss. Laster in the game, Byrdak, Beato, and Izzy were able to shut the door going into the 9th.
Then Frankie entered in the game with a five run lead, only to make the game a little tense because he allowed the Rangers to get back into it, but he closed the game, the final being 8-1.
The Mets’ offense was able to capitalize, as I said before. Those 8 runs were scored without a home run, as the Mets have been doing all year. The Mets don’t need to hit homers. If they hit more that would be great, but they don’t. Although they don’t, they still find ways to score and win ballgames.
There is a lot of talk about how the Mets will likely change the dimesions at Citi Field. The Mo Zone will be taken away and Great Wall of Flushing will be lowered. I am 100% against it. The Mets don’t need it. They hit fewer homers on the road an they do at home. So I don’t believe moving the walls will do anything. Does it have any effect on the players? Sure, I suppose it may. But it shouldn’t to the point where a player falls off the map and isn’t as good as before. Players for decades played in much bigger parks.
Put it in the Books! 