Wright hits 10th homer, is well ahead of 2009 power pace
Queens, NY, USA; New York Mets third baseman David Wright (5) is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a two run homerun in the bottom of the third inning against the Florida Marlins at CitiField. The Mets defeated the Marlins 6-1 Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
It took nearly the entire 2009 season - 466 at-bats, to be exact - for David Wright to do what he did Saturday in his 194th at-bat.
Wright hit his 10th home run of 2010, a long two-run drive into the second-tier balcony in the leftfield corner at Citi Field, to give the Mets a 5-0 lead in the third inning on the way to a 6-1 victory over the Florida Marlins.
"This is really a park where you need to be able to hit the ball down the lines," said Wright, who wound up hitting 10 homers in 535 at-bats last season. "I got a pitch that was inside and I was able to turn on it."
Mets manager Jerry Manuel clearly was impressed with the homer. "It's just a matter of him getting the right pitch and putting the right swing on it," Manuel said. "I don't know how far that ball went. It would have gone out of any ballpark, that is for sure."
It was only Wright's second home run at Citi Field this year. It had been 96 home at-bats since he homered in his first at-bat of this season.
Wright, however, said the only number he cares about when he hits a home run is how many runs the Mets score, and when.
"I've hit 20 home runs in a season. I've hit 10 in a season,'' he said, referring to his total last year. "It's not that big of a deal. The important thing is when they come. Hopefully, they come at a good time and help with some wins. That was the case today, so I will take it."
So will Manuel, who was equally impressed with what Wright did in the fifth inning. With two outs, Wright singled to center to drive in Ike Davis, who had reached on a double to rightfield.
"Those are things we need from him in that spot," Manuel said. "As much as he struggled, he continues to be among the league leaders in different categories offensively. That just shows what type of player he is. He's a very good player."
Wright also thought his second hit was just as big as the home run.
Said Wright: "I don't really consider myself that good of a pull hitter. I like to try to stay up the middle. It felt good to be able to pull the ball and the next at-bat be able to pull the ball and then the next at-bat be able to stay on the ball and go up the middle. So maybe that's a good sign."
