Long day doesn't end well for Mets
Mets starting pitcher Jonathon Niese tugs at his jersey during the second inning against the Cubs. (May 24, 2011) Credit: AP
CHICAGO -- Fortunately for the Mets, principal owner Fred Wilpon was not in attendance Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. They better hope his satellite dish back on Long Island was malfunctioning as well.
Given Wilpon's recent fondness for colorful descriptions of his struggling team, anyone in shouting distance of the owner during the Mets' 11-1 loss to the Cubs would have needed earplugs.
Only a few hours after saying sorry to Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes, Wilpon deserved an apology from catcher Ronny Paulino, whose two errors led to five unearned runs in the Mets' third consecutive loss.
Despite the tumultuous events of the previous 48 hours -- clubhouse meetings, speakerphone apologies -- manager Terry Collins refused to blame the Wilpon fallout for his team's shabby play.
"Tonight we're going to move on," Collins said. "Just chalk it up as a game we didn't play very good. I don't believe that was a factor."
In the second inning, Paulino dropped a throw from Daniel Murphy on a play at the plate that opened the door for four unearned runs. Paulino committed another error in the sixth, when he fired a wild pickoff throw past Murphy and into rightfield, scoring Koyie Hill from second base.
The Cubs scored a sixth unearned run in the seventh inning when Fernando Martinez booted a Reed Johnson single. That was after Carlos Zambrano -- Thursday's starting pitcher -- drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single off Pat Misch.
"A lot of things happened that had we made some plays," Collins said, "the game doesn't get out of control."
To add injury to insult, Jason Bay was forced to leave in the seventh inning because of what the Mets described as a stiff right calf. Bay had been 0-for-3 to that point, dropping him to .227 for the season. He also stranded two and is batting .083 (2-for-24) with runners in scoring position.
His condition, however, was not serious. "It was really a non-issue," Bay said. When asked if he would play Wednesday night, he replied, "Absolutely."
Jon Niese (3-5) had been stingy with runners in scoring position as opponents were batting .129 (4-for-31) in those situations in his previous five starts. But the Cubs went 3-for-7 against Niese in taking a 5-1 lead after five innings.
"It was just one of those days when things are not going your way," Niese said, "and it snowballs."
