COLON & METS ON RUN
Bartolo turns on jets in rout of Phils
There was a moment after the seventh inning Friday night where Terry Collins thought he could have almost everything. The Mets already had a big lead forged with four home runs and here was Bartolo Colon saying he thought he could pitch the rest of the game and give the bullpen a break.
But Colon was tiring from, of all things, running the bases, and couldn’t get an out in the eighth inning. Nothing much has come easy for the Mets this season, so why should the relief corps get a rest, even in a lopsided win? Or the club’s medical staff, for that matter.
The Mets hit all sorts of familiar notes in what eventually was a 9-4 victory over the Phillies at Citi Field, what with the homers and cheers for Colon’s pitching
and hitting. And, of course, another Met leaving a game with an injury — Justin Ruggiano’s left shoulder hurt so much after an early swing that he couldn’t raise his arm and he was removed before the sixth inning. He’s slated to see a doctor today and Collins called the utility man’s situation “an issue.”
The victory, at least, was a strong start to a crucial 10-game homestand and gave the Mets their fifth win in six games. Maybe they are finally on that big run we’ve heard so much about as they try to surge closer to a playoff spot — they currently sit 3.5 games out of the second wild card position.
Wilmer Flores slugged a grand slam, Asdrubal Cabrera homered from both sides of the plate and also teamed with leadoff man Jose Reyes to hit back-to-back homers to start the first inning, only the second time in franchise history that’s happened. Reyes was part of the last time, too, with Ruben Gotay back on July 12, 2007 against the Reds.
“We’re not quitting,” Flores said. “I think everybody knows that. We know any little thing can get us going.”
Flores’ slam, the third of his career, blew open a one-run game in the fifth inning. The 31,111 souls in attendance demanded he come out of the dugout for a curtain call and he obliged, pumping his right fist as he turned to acknowledge the crowd. “They make you feel good every time you do something,” Flores said of Met fans.
Cabrera, who is hitting .393 in seven games since coming off the disabled list, became the 11th Met to homer from both sides of the plate in a game and first since Carlos Beltran did it in Colorado on May 12, 2011. “It’s not easy,” Cabrera said. “I’m pretty excited it happened.”
Colon (12-7), a constant in a rotation dinged by injuries all season, allowed four runs and six hits in seven-plus innings. He did not allow a hit until there was one out in the fifth inning and got a standing ovation when he left after giving up three runs when he tired in the eighth.
“Bart’s not used to legging all those hits out, doubles, scoring from third,” Collins said. “That might’ve taken a little starch out of him.”
Colon was 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a career-high two runs. It was the second twohit game of his career and the first since Aug. 9, 2002 when he pitched for — wait for it — the Montreal Expos. His double got both the fifth inning and the crowd going and fans didn’t even seem to mind when he could not score from second on Reyes’ ensuing bloop double down the right-field line.
“When I reached first base, Ryan Howard asked me if I wanted any water,” Colon said through a translator. He laughed. How about a triple in his next start? “No chance,” the pitcher replied.
With Colon unable to finish, the Mets needed three relievers to get through the final two innings. Hansel Robles completed the eighth, but Sean Gilmartin struggled in starting the ninth when a callus on his thumb ripped open and bled. He allowed a hit and a walk before Jeurys Familia came in to get the final three outs. Gilmartin said he didn’t know how much of a problem the callus would be going forward.
No, nothing is easy for the Mets, not even blowout wins. As Collins noted afterward, “It’s not all cakewalk.”
Certainly not this season.