Duda's hit helps pick up Bay in win
Lucas Duda singles in the seventh inning to score Jose Reyes with the go ahead run, 3-2. (Aug. 31, 2011) Credit: David Pokress
It's not easy being Jason Bay.
Even when things are going well, the Mets' leftfielder finds a way to derail the feel-good vibes and bring on the boos. But lucky for Bay, his latest miscue didn't spell disaster for the Mets in their 3-2 victory over the Marlins Wednesday night at Citi Field.
Despite snapping an 0-for-17 skid with a second-inning single, driving in the tying run in the sixth and going 3-for-4 at the plate, he was tagged out at home plate in the eighth because he failed to take out the catcher.
"I never felt a tag and that's why I argued," said Bay, who tied a season high in hits and recorded just his second RBI since Aug. 13.
But Lucas Duda provided the clutch hit -- a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh -- and Pedro Beato, Manny Acosta, Jason Isringhausen and Bobby Parnell each pitched a scoreless inning to seal the win. Acosta (2-1) picked up the win and Parnell his third save for the Mets (65-69), who improved to 4-1 on the homestand.
The Mets scored the go-ahead run in the seventh. Jose Reyes singled up the middle between Emilio Bonifacio and Omar Infante. The shortstop, who is hitting .336, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Ruben Tejada then scored on a Duda single off lefty reliever Mike Dunn.
Though Chris Capuano dug the Mets a 2-0 hole in the first, he then kept the Marlins scoreless. The Mets' offense woke up in the fourth when they loaded the bases on a one-out walk to Duda, a David Wright double off the leftfield wall and an error by Marlins starter Chris Volstad (5-12) that allowed Angel Pagan to reach. Bay stepped to the plate, poised to play hero. But he struck out swinging on a low-and-away slider. Nick Evans drowned out the boos meant for Bay with a single past short.
The Mets tied it in the sixth after Wright, who just missed hitting another home run, smacked the ball off the wall in center and scored on a Bay single off Volstad's right leg.
"It's almost become a running joke a little bit," Bay said of his recent struggles at the plate. "There's still a month left in the season and I realize I could be a heck of a lot better."
Notes & quotes: Ike Davis might join the team in Florida next week to begin baseball activities . . . Mets will recall righthander Josh Stinson from Double-A Binghamton and will purchase the contract of infielder Josh Satin from Triple-A Buffalo before Thursday night's game.
