Duda leads 17-hit attack

ARLINGTON, Texas -- A week and a half ago, Lucas Duda was taunted at Turner Field by a rain-soaked crowd that joyfully screamed "Doo-dah, doo-dah" as the stadium's organist banged out "Camptown Races."

For Duda, it was a tired act, and it made his frustrating stint with the Mets to that point even more irritating. But that all changed yesterday when Duda's presence elicited a much different reaction from the sun-baked fans at Rangers Ballpark: loud boos.

It was a shocking reversal for a crowd used to watching the Rangers throttle visiting teams. Instead, Duda had four hits, including three doubles, and four RBIs as the Mets matched a season high with 17 hits in a 14-5 demolition of Texas.

"It was certainly a big confidence-booster," Duda said. "Hopefully, I can build on it and continue to do it."

The only blight on an otherwise enjoyable afternoon for the Mets was the premature exit of Jonathon Niese, who left with two outs in the sixth inning with what the Mets described as a "rapid heartbeat." The team said he was lifted for precautionary reasons -- Niese said afterward he was fine -- but the lefthander will be further checked out Tuesday in Detroit.

When Terry Collins was jokingly asked if Niese got a little too excited by all the run support, the manager cracked, "No, that was my heart rate you heard."

Incredibly, the Mets reached double-digits without hitting a ball over the fence. Duda came the closest with his two-run double in an eight-run sixth inning. Their total for that inning was more than they had scored in 67 of their first 77 games.

"It was one of those days," Collins said. "We put some good swings on the ball, we attacked, we stayed aggressive."

The Mets have not hit a grand slam since 2009, but Duda fell only a few feet short with his long drive off Texas reliever Michael Kirkman. After hanging for a while in the stifling 94-degree heat, the ball landed at the base of the wall.

"I hit it pretty well," Duda said, "and the ball travels pretty well here. But I was still running. I was still on my horse."

Though Duda failed to end the Mets' grand-slam drought, his third double matched the franchise record, which had been done 25 times previously. Jose Reyes had been the last to do it May 13, 2009, against the Braves.

Duda, who entered the game in a 4-for-23 slump, hit a double in his first at-bat against Rangers starter Alexi Ogando and finished 4-for-5.

It was only the fourth time this season that a Met had at least four RBIs in a game. Carlos Beltran had done it twice previously and Justin Turner once. Duda's two doubles in his first two at-bats also marked the first time that a player had multiple extra-base hits against Ogando in a single game.

"I'm tired, man," Duda said. "But it was a fun day."

The Mets opened the game with three straight hits, the last a two-run triple by Beltran before Daniel Murphy followed with a sacrifice fly. They took a 6-0 lead in the third inning on Duda's two-run double and Josh Thole's RBI single.

After the Rangers gained some ground on back-to-back homers by Adrian Beltre and Michael Young in the fourth inning, the Mets erased all doubt with the eight-run sixth.

In the wake of Friday's 8-1 rout by the Rangers, Collins was asked before Saturday's game what could be done to get more run production. The manager laughed for a few moments before taking a stab at the question.

"We've been trying," Collins said. "That is the thought process."

Thanks to Duda, nicknamed "Big Ox'' by his manager, the Mets got it figured out. For one day, at least.