Davis heats it up by going 4-for-4
New York Mets first baseman Ike Davis (29) doubles in the bottom of the second inning against the Florida Marlins. (June 5, 2010) Credit: Photo by Christopher Pasatieri
Ike Davis tried not to let the numbers affect him, but as the at-bats came and went without so much as a hit, he could feel himself pressing.
But Davis broke out of his first major-league slump Saturday, going 4-for-4 (a career high), and scored three runs in a 6-1 win over the Marlins.
"I needed it badly," said Davis, who snapped an 0-for-9 skid with a double in the second inning off lefthander Nate Robertson. "I had good days and I just didn't get any hits and then I would press and try swinging a little harder . . . It's the same thing every time you go in a slump: You start speeding things up and try to do too much. It's just the way it is."
Coming into the game, the lefthanded-hitting Davis was 4-for-32 in his previous eight games. For the season, he was batting .325 against lefties and .219 against righties.
"It shouldn't be that way," said Davis, who has never gone more than two games without a hit since being promoted from Triple-A Buffalo. "It should be at least a lot more even, but I'll take what I can right now."
Selling Citi
Manager Jerry Manuel said the dimensions of Citi Field are an undeniable selling point to lure free-agent pitchers to Flushing.
"For the most part, we've played good defense in this ballpark," he said. "And if you're a pitcher and you have a good defense behind you, and you've got something you would consider a spacious park, that's an excellent opportunity to have some success."
Extra bases
Carlos Beltran went 1-for-5 with an RBI single and two walks as a DH in his second extended spring training game . . . At 2:15, it was the shortest nine-inning game for the Mets this season.
