Aces Up

The night before was heartbreaking for Mets fans.   Comeback after comeback were wasted as the home team could not push across the winning run in extra innings.  Finally, Albert Pujols decided matters in favor of the Cardinals with a 2 run blast off of a weary Aaron Heilman in the fourteenth.  The Mets were out of pitchers, out of comebacks, and out of time.

Maybe little more than a month and a half ago, last night’s loss would have sent this Mets team into a skid.  A new manager, new pitching coach, and apparent new attitude later, it would just be another loss from which to bounce back.  The reason for such an optimistic outlook was that fact that today brought Johan Santana to the mound.  The unspoken instructions for the team’s ace, “Get us a win and spare the bullpen while you’re at it”.

I’ve been rather lucky with my Sunday seats at Shea in terms of pitching performances.   It’s hard from so high up to judge what type of stuff the pitcher has that day.  So I’m forced to go purely by results.  I think it’s safe to say that Johan was dominant today.  As my sister and I alternately boiled, fried, and then cooled down with the schizophrenic weather patterns, Santana was setting down Cardinals in rapid fire procession.  A walk to leadoff the game was erased on an inning ending double play.  No hits were allowed until a lone single in the fifth.  No runs were allowed until Albert Pujols struck again for another home run.  This home run coming one batter after Carlos Beltran absolutely robbed Ryan Ludwick of a home run, extending over the center field fence to bring it back.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals’ ace-in-name, Kyle Lohse was not having the same type of day.  The Mets threatened in the first and second before finally cashing in two runs in the third.  That would be one more run than Santana would need.   Perhaps in an effort to make up for all the games prior where Johan had received little run support, the Mets lineup didn’t stop there.

David Wright would hit a no-doubter solo shot in the fifth.  Fernando Tatis and Ramon Castro would both hit 2 run homers in the sixth.  Santana would even get into the offensive act with one of the odder singles.   A long fly ball off Johan’s bat would appear to be going foul and out of play.   Santana thought so.  Ryan Ludwick and Pujols, the Cards’ right fielder and first basemen respectively, thought so.  Turns out the wind had other plans as it pushed the ball back fair, hitting at the base of the wall below the 338′ mark.  Had Pujols bother to cover first base, Johan would’ve been out as he had failed to run.  That failure to cover would end up leading to another run as Jose Reyes would double next, with Wright later singling to score Santana.  The Mets would tack on one more run in the seventh leaving only one more thing really in doubt.  Would Johan Santana finish the game?

The completion of the eighth inning would see his pitch count hit 99.  By that point, the ominously dark sky that had begun sprinkling the Shea faithful (somewhat blissfully I might add) was proving more threatening than the Cardinal lineup.  Santana would come out to a rousing cheer from the fans.  And with each out recorded, he would be serenaded by the faithful with his name in a chant chock full of appreciation.  The final out was made via a lazy fly ball to Carlos Beltran and last night suddenly seemed a long, long time ago.