“He was up in the zone, up in the zone. He couldn’t get the fastball down”. Lincecum gave up three runs and three hits in five innings last week. “I was scuffling from the inning on. It’s as much as I could have asked for, given the circumstances”, he said.
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Taillon was one of the most buzzed about prospects of 2010, going from a high school squad to a major league uniform. Otherwise, I believe we would see someone like Trevor Williams or Wilfredo Boscan make a spot start either tomorrow or Saturday. After dropping seven of ten the Pirates really needed a spark and found it when they swept a twin bill versus the Mets where a few clutch hits in each game and outstanding work on the mound were key. Syndergaard has struck out eight or more in seven of his 11 starts, and his ERA trails only those of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (1.46) and the Chicago Cubs’ Jake Arrieta (1.80) among qualified major league starters.
Jon Niese used to make excuses and complain about the Mets’ defense after the majority of his poor starts. “That was the only organization I knew; all those guys are great over there”. “Lot of respect for what went on today … to come back and be received like that is something I’ll never forget”. But I’m enjoying my time here. How am I going to explain this to them? “I tried to live at the bottom of the strike zone”.
Granderson has started the month of June just 3-for-24.
The New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series at PNC Park on Wednesday.
The Mets are scrounging for runs, getting only one each in their last three games – losses by 1-0 to the Marlins and 3-1 and 3-1 to the Pirates. In the fifth, Harrison singled and stole second, then scored on another McCutchen single.
In the nightcap, right-hander Juan Nicasio (5-4) pitched five-plus innings of one-run baseball, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out seven.
That might be good advice for the veterans in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ rotation.
For now, they don’t look like it. After blasting their way through the opening weeks of the season, the homers have dried up, and the Mets’ inability to score runs in other ways have become an open wound. Niese continues to rely on the groundball, which is not surprising, as he got 14 outs via the groundball in this outing.
Starling Marte left late in the first game due to “left ankle discomfort”. RHP Ryan Vogelsong rejoined the team a week after having surgery to fix facial fractures sustained May 23 when he was hit by a pitch from Colorado’s Jordan Lyles.
The Mets are experiencing tough times offensively with three starters on the disabled list, and they couldn’t snap out of their funk against a Pirates team that has their number.
Both players were only allowed to be active for the second game because the doubleheader was scheduled with less than 48 hours’ notice.
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Niese (5-2, 4.36 ERA) and NY rookie Steven Matz (7-1, 2.60) were both pushed back a day to start the opener of the doubleheader.
