Mets 14 D’backs 1
PHOENIX – So far this week, the road-challenged Mets are finding that Phoenix is lovely this time of year.
After Monday’s victory over the Diamondbacks that was impressive in its crispness, last night’s 14-1 romp at Bank One Ballpark was just a total rout.
The Mets pummeled starter Claudio Vargas and Co., ripping 17 hits en route to their biggest run differential since they beat Houston by 16 runs on Aug. 30, 1999.
In last night’s offensive barrage, all nine Met starters – including Victor Zambrano – had at least one hit and scored at least one run.
Ramon Castro led the way with two hits and a career-high five RBIs, while David Wright had three hits and a walk and scored four runs. Jose Reyes, Victor Diaz, Mike Jacobs and Zambrano also had two hits apiece, and Jacobs added his second homer in three days.
Zambrano, meanwhile, pitched a terrific game, allowing just one run on six hits in eight innings. If there were doubts, he should certainly stay in the rotation for at least a little longer.
The Mets now have won the first two games on this series by a combined score of 18-2, received strong starting pitching and committed no errors.
It’s only the second time in their 10 trips this year that the Mets have won the first two games on a journey. And speaking of rare milestones, the 65-60 Mets are now five games over .500 for the first time since they were 24-19 on May 18, 2002 – more than three years ago.
With the victories, the Mets are edging closer in the crazy NL wild-card race. The Astros lost, so the Mets can be no worse than two games back, pending the result of last night’s late Phillies game. If the Phillies won, the Mets would be two back. If they lost, they would be, incredibly, only 1½ out.
After Monday’s win, Willie Randolph said he had “a good feeling that we’re going to have a good trip. That’s just me. I always feel good about my team, but my sense is that we understand now or we know what we need to do.”
Last night that meant scoring a ton of runs – four in the second, two in the third, two in the fifth and six in the sixth.
It was Wright who started it in the second, singling to left to open the inning. Diaz then drove a low pitch to center that Shawn Green misplayed, turning what should have been a single into an RBI triple.
One out later, Castro’s RBI single made it 2-0, and one out after that, Reyes drilled a blast off the top of the center-field wall for an RBI triple. Miguel Cairo’s infield single scored him to make it 4-0.
The Mets added two more in the third on Diaz’s RBI double and Castro’s run-scoring fielder’s choice, and it was 6-0. Even after being granted a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second, Zambrano inexplicably began the frame by walking the first hitter, Troy Glaus. It looked like Zambrano could have gotten into real danger right after as Green drilled a liner to left, but Cliff Floyd made a diving catch to rob him. Zambrano then retired the next two hitters, allowed a run in the third and rolled from there.
Jacobs made it 8-1 in the fifth when he ripped a two-run shot, his second homer in eight at-bats as a Met (he ended up on base four times last night, with the two walks in addition to the two hits).
In the sixth, the Mets made it 14-1 with six more, three coming on Castro’s bases-loaded double.
MAP
A look at Mets troubles on the raod this season at all the Major League venues they’ve visited:
Mariners 0-3
A’s 1-2
Giants 0-0 (3)
Dodgers 1-2
Padres 1-2
D’backs 0-1 (3)
Astros 1-3
ROckies 1-2
Brewers 2-1
Cubs 1-2
Cardinals 0-0 (4)
Reds 0-3
Pirates 1-2
Phillies 3-2 (3)
Nats 4-3 (3)
Yankees 2-1
Marlins 4-2 (3)
Mets at Shea 40-25
Mets away from Shea 25-35
Mets games left Home – 16
Road 21