After losing five straight and 11 of their last 13, the New York Mets managed to avoid being swept for the second straight series on Wednesday afternoon. The team spotted Mike Pelfrey four runs in a first inning that was capped by a Nick Evans 3-run bomb to left. Evans exploded for 4 RBI on the afternoon and with three more hits today the 25-year-old raised his season average to .265.
Pelfrey, meanwhile, hurled 125 pitches over six long innings, yet despite allowing 9 hits and 2 walks the 27-year-old would not relinquish the lead. Instead, Big Pelf would leave after giving up 3 runs and his team up by a count of 7-3 through six hard fought frames. The bullpen and defense weren’t perfect, allowing an unearned run to cross the plate in the 7th, but thanks to a tremendous double play turned by Justin Turner and Ruben Tejada in the 8th inning, the lead was secured heading into the 9th. The call to the bullpen was not answered by Jason Isringhausen, however, as Bobby Parnell was instead brought in to close out the Phils.
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@AdamRubinESPNAdam Rubin
Lately there have been few things worth watching when it comes to the Amazin’s, but as the front office begins to evaluate roles for 2012 and beyond, Parnell’s performance as the season winds down is certainly something to keep an eye on.
The 26-year-old entered this afternoon’s contest having walked only one batter in his past 5 2/3 innings pitched, but with the pressure on his command seemed to be amiss as he walked Chase Utley on four straight pitches to start the 9th. Yikes. Questions about Parnell’s ability to finish off games against the heart of a team’s line-up had to be creeping through the minds of fans, but with a strikeout of Ryan Howard on a 99 mph fastball and Hunter Pence on a nasty slider, some of those concerns may have been quelled. After walking John Mayberry and bringing the tying run to the plate, the Mets fireballer got Carlos Ruiz to ground out softly to short to end the game and earn his 2nd career save in the process.
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@AnthonyDiComoAnthony DiComo
It was great to see Parnell rebound with the game on the line. I’m not sure what a meltdown against the Phils would have done for his confidence moving forward, but fortunately he capitalized on this opportunity and helped the team earn a ‘W’ against the division leaders.
Yes Pelfrey earned his first victory in almost a month, David Wright hit his 11th homer of the season and Nick Evans busted out in a big way, but to me it really was all about #39 . According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Parnell had the following to say about his performance:
Ever since Frankie got traded, I’ve been hoping for an opportunity to do this,” Parnell said. “I kind of have been putting pressure on myself. And it just accumulated today. Luckily, everything went good. Hopefully it goes away a little bit, gets easier.”
The walks were just nerves, I guess,” Parnell said. “I felt like I was throwing it right down the middle, but I obviously didn’t. They’ll go away as time goes on.”
Nerves are part of the game and if Parnell can get them under control I really think the Mets might have an answer for the 9th inning for a good while. Whether or not he can do just that, however, remains to be seen, but hopefully that 102 mph fastball helps provide a decisive answer.
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