The New York Mets entered Sunday’s game having won one of their previous eight games since the ALl Star Game in Kansas City. The game made it tied into the top of the 12th inning tied at three until the Los Angeles Dodgers scored five times in the inning to win by a score of 8-3. With the loss the Mets fall below the .500 water mark for the first time in 2012 after starting the year with a 4-0 record.
Jon Niese took the mound for the Mets and had yet another impressive start as he is on what could be considered the best stretch of his young career thus far. Niese was opposed by right-hander Nathan Eovaldi whom the Mets beat up when they faced the youngster in Los Angeles a few weeks ago.
Both pitchers were dominant the first time through the order as they exchanged zeroes through the first three innings apiece. In the top of the fourth Matt Kemp led off the inning with a single and two batters later former Yankee Juan Rivera launched a long fly ball into the left field seats over the Party City Deck to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning the Mets cut the lead if half as Daniel Murphy hit a double with one out and came in to score two batters later when Josh Thole singled to center to give the Mets their first run of the game.
Niese got the Dodgers out in order in the fifth inning, and in the bottom of the fifth Tejada was retired by Eovaldi for the first out. Jordany Valdespin and David Wright then singled and Dodgers manager pulled Eovaldi for Scott Elbert who got out of the jam by getting the next two batters.
Mark Ellis led off the top of the sixth inning with a single and moved up to second on a sacrifice fly by Kemp. The next batter was Andre Ethier who singled to left which allowed Ellis to score and increase the Dodger lead to 3-1.
The Mets chipped away in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, as usual. Ike Davis who was struck out but was given an extra chance by home plate umpire Jim Joyce and made the most of in by doubling into right field. Up next was Murphy who collected his eighth hit of the series against Los Angeles and drove in Davis to trim the lead to 3-2.
-Check out what happened throughout the remainder of the game after the break-
Ellis and Kemp led off the top of the eighth with back-to-back singles and Terry Collins went to his bullpen for the first time bringing on Tim Byrdak to replace Niese. Byrdak got Ethier and pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu out and Collins went to the bullpen to bring on Jon Rauch who got the final out of the inning to strand the two lead off base runners.
In the bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth innings both teams got base runners on with one out, but pinch-hitter Justin Turner and first baseman James Loney killed both rallies for their teams respectively by hitting into inning-ending double plays.
In the top of the ninth Ruben Tejada led off with a single off of Javy Guerra who was pitching the ninth inning after Don Mattingly decided to give his closer the day off. Valdespin sacrificed Tejada to second followed by Wright getting an infield single that was smothered by Ellis at second base to keep Tejada from scoring.
In the top of the tenth Bobby Parnell pitched a 1-2-3 top of the frame to send it to the bottom of the tenth. Kirk Nieuwenhuis led off with a double and Scott Hairston walked behind him to put the first two batters on base. Mike Nickeas who came on earlier to replace Thole and nearly bunted into a double play but was safe to keep Hairston and Nickeas on first and second. Tejada grounded into a double play to end the threat.
Ramon Ramirez pitched the top of the 11th and walked the leadoff hitter Ethier and pinch-hitter Clayton Kershaw bunted him over to second. Ramirez struck out shortstop Luis Cruz on three pitches then walked pinch-hitter Adam Kennedy intentionally to get to AJ Ellis who fouled out to second to end the frame.
Making his Major League debut in the 12th inning was Dodgers right-hander Josh Wall who got Valdespin out on four pitches. Wright was up next and pulled a single into left field, Davis flew out but not before Wright was thrown out trying to steal second. Ramirez stayed on for the 12th and Loney singled followed by a Gwynn bunt single as he was looking to sacrifice. Ramirez get the next two batters and then loaded the bases with an intentional walk.
Up next was the last man on the Dodgers bench in Matt Treanor who lined a single up the middle to drive in two runs. The next two batters also reached via hit as a single and a double blew the game open at 8-3 and chased Ramon Ramirez from the game. Elvin Ramirez who was recalled before the game and walked AJ Ellis before getting Loney to pop out as the Dodgers took their five run lead to the bottom of the inning.
In the bottom of the 12th Josh Lindblom came on to finish off the Mets, but was greeted rudely by Murphy who doubled. Duda lined out to left field, followed by Nieuwenhuis striking out. The last hope was Jason Bay who came up as a pinch hitter and struck out to end the ball game.
Niese finished the game going seven-plus before making way to Byrdak and Rauch who finished off the eighth inning. Parnell pitched a scoreless ninth and tenth inning for the Mets, allowing just one hit. Ramon Ramirez was charged for five runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings before Elvin Ramirez got out of the inning.
For the Dodgers Eovaldi allowed one run on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings of work and struck out seven Mets, Elbert pitched 1 1/3 inning as did Shawn Tolleson, who allowed the second Mets’ run. Veteran Jamey Wright pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Guerra allowed the tying run in the bottom of the ninth and got in and out of trouble in the tenth. Wall and Lindlom pitched scoreless innings to finish off the Mets.
Game Ball: Goes to Jon Niese, despite not having a good record over his past handful of starts pitched into at least the seventh inning in his eighth straight start. Niese didn’t allow a walk in seven-plus innings of work and allowed only three runs on eight hits. He also walked in three plate appearances.
Up Next: The Mets will continue their home stand tomorrow evening at 7:10 p.m. against the Washington Nationals as Chris Young and Jordann Zimmermann hook up for the second time in as many starts.
