Mets 5, Giants 4 (12 innings)
(left to right : goat, hero)
While Willie Randolph felt comfortable enough trotting out the old “speed kills” line when chatting with Erin Andrews after the game (and much like two weeks ago against the Cubs, Jose Reyes can easily drive a reliever to distraction) and Carlos Delgado (2 HR’s, including the game winner in off a discombobulated Armando Benitez in the bottom of the 12th) is most assuredly All-The-Way-Back, much credit has to go to the evening’s undisputed star.
“Once again, the public have paid to see Bob Davidson!” howled Howie Rose during the first of Armando Benitez’ two 12 inning balks — the first moving Reyes into scoring position with none out, the 2nd scoring the Mets SS from 3rd with two outs in the frame. Benitez hadn’t balked in almost 4 years and you won’t find too many human Giants fans (nor Chris Russo) who won’t feel as though they were jobbed Tuesday night.
If you’re wondering why I’d resort to the dulcet tones of Howie Rose and Tom McCarthy when the contest was otherwise available in glorious HD nationwide, let’s just say that even the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay didn’t have to put up with both Dusty Baker and Rick Sutcliffe commenting on the same game. In addition to Sutcliffle’s lengthy defense of Barry Bonds (ie. the Sultan’s accomplishments occurred on “a level playing field” because pitchers had access to the same drugs, though “I’ve never even seen a steroid!”), the former Cubs reliever observed the Brewers — losers of 6 straight — were trailing the Braves, 3-0, in the 1st inning in Milwaukee.
“With John Smoltz on the mound, you might as well make that 7 in a row.” scoffed Sutcliffe.
Naturally, Prince Fielder would take Smoltz into Miller Park’s 2nd deck as Milwaukee came from behind for a 5-4 win. Apparently. Smoltz reinjured the same right pinky finger he’d previously hurt in a collision 15 days ago with the Nats’ Austin Kearns.
Maybe the game of the year thus far. Lincecum, wow. Human slingshot.
this was only the second time I’ve seen Linecum pitch in the majors, and while I’m loathe to type anything that might, I dunno, give Chris Russo a reason to postpone self-immolation, a rotation of Zito, Lowery, Cain and Linecum is enough to make me think the Giants can survive their Barry-centric everyday lineup.
But not their bullpen. The only thing that nostalgia trip by Benitez was lacking was a series of excuses by Bobby Valentine after the game.
(and I neglected to mention — awesome play by Vizquel on Franco’s grounder in the bottom of the 9th.)
As a Mets fan away from the NY area, I only get to see ESPN games or games vs. the Cubs or Braves… so when they win as sweet as tonight on national TV, wow, not just sweet but freakin’ sweet!!!
Oh, and with the Braves losing that means last night was perfect!!
I’ve never seen a home crowd so excited about facing a pitcher down a run with only three outs remaining.
Like zooma, I only get the nationally televised games and didn’t even mind the confused ramblings of Dusty.
Aren’t the Giants just the Yankees of the West Coast (I’m talking division standings, here).
I was pretty excited to get home in time to see only the 12th inning of this game.
Not quite as excited as I was in 1999 when I got home from dinner just in time to catch Robin Ventura’s at bat leading up to the pseudo homerun to beat the Braves… but I was still pretty excited and I’m sure my neighbor wondered what I was yelling for.
Unfortunately I too, a suffering SF Giants fan, only caught the 12th inning. The thing about Armando is that I sooooo wanted to believe…..this guy was such a stud for the Marlins the year before we signed him, and for a few years with the Mets as well, and at no point in his three years with the Giants has anyone here ever had anything good to say about him, nor has he given us any reason to. I turned on the clock radio late last night to set the alarm and the first thing that bleated out was “It’s time for the Giants to give up on Benitez! Trade him! Dump him! Whatever you need to do!â€. Perfect. All the SF Giants blogs are abuzz about the implosion last night, and oh man, you’ll be able to hear the boos in Oakland next time he pitches at home, if he’s still with the team that is.
Regarding Lincecum, he’s amazing. The Giants has an inkling just last year and gave him one of those mega-signing bonuses that few players get, just to make sure we’d be nailing and bringing up some homegrown talent for a change. For the first time in years, Matt Cain excluded, we have a rookie of the year candidate, and the words “Cy Young†are already being tossed around. This guy walks on water here so far, and is the pure, unadulterated anti-Armando.