The Mets had their four game winning streak snapped as All-Star pitcher Clayton Kershaw shut out the Mets through eight innings and the Dodgers cruised to a 6-0 victory to avoid a four game sweep Thursday night.
Through the first five innings, both Kershaw and Mets rookie starter Dillon Gee were virtually neck and neck. Kershaw had a small edge initially, as he benefited from miscues by both the Mets defense and home plate umpire Greg Gibson.
With the game scoreless in the Dodgers half of the second inning, and Juan Uribe at first base, James Loney hit a come backer to Dillon Gee. Gee fired to second to try to and end the inning with a 6-4-3 double play, but the throw to Ruben Tejada was wide and Uribe advanced to third while Loney stood safely at first.
[caption id="attachment_92" align="alignright" width="300" caption="New York Mets manager Terry Collins (10) and catcher Ronny Paulino, second from right, argue with home plate umpire Greg Gibson (53) that a tag was put on Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe during the first inning of Mets at Dodgers Game 4. Mets starting pitcher Dillon Gee (35) walks away frustrated with his unearned run."]
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Aaron Miles then lofted a fly ball to shallow left field. Uribe tagged up on the fly out and sprinted for home. Left Fielder Jason Bay fired a strike to Ronny Paulino at the plate. The catcher caught the ball and slapped a midair tag on Uribe just before he touched the plate. But Greg Gibson ruled Uribe safe anyway. Mets manager, Terry Collins came out to make a lengthy argument, but to no avail. The Dodgers led 1-0.
After the miscues, Gee stymied the Dodger’s offense until he hit a wall in the bottom of the sixth inning. Left fielder, Tony Gwynn led off the inning with a single. He used his speed to advance to third when Paulino’s throw to second on a stolen base attempt got by Tejada.
Later in the inning with one out and Gwynn still on third, Gee pitched around Andre Ethier to set up an inning ending double play with All-Star Matt Kemp at the plate. But Kemp had other ideas as he smashed a two-run double to left field. The Dodgers would score two more runs on two more doubles before Dillon Gee was pulled with two outs in the sixth. Manny Acosta relieved him and promptly gave up an RBI triple to Dioner Navarro. When the dust settled after Kershaw’s groundout to end the inning, the Dodgers led 6-0.
In his second consecutive losing effort, Gee was responsible for six runs, five earned, on five hits. He pitched well before the sixth, however only allowing one hit and the unearned run.
After the long half-inning, Kershaw got right back on the mound in the top of the seventh and kept the Mets door closed. But in the eighth, the Mets came back knocking as the cleanup-hitting catcher Paulino, who was plunked by Kershaw earlier, came to hit with the bases loaded and two out. Paulino battled in the five-pitch at-bat but was retired whiffing on a 2-2 offering, squandering possibly the Mets best offensive chance of the night.
And with that Kershaw’s dominant night ended. In eight innings, he shut out the Mets, allowing five hits, and two walks, while striking out nine.
The Mets did have signs of life in the ninth against Dodger reliever Kenly Jansen. Daniel Murphy’s single, combined with walks to Ruben Tejada, and Willie Harris, who pinch-hit for first baseman Nick Evans, loaded the bases with one out.
Dodgers’ skipper Don Mattingly called for left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo to pitch to Lucas Duda who appeared on deck to hit in the pitchers spot. Kuo struck out Duda on three pitches then got Angel Pagan to ground out to third on a bases-loaded full count pitch to end the game.
With the loss, the Mets still won the four-game set three games to one. The Mets now play the Giants in their last weekend series before the All-Star Break. The Mets will have to battle with three more All-Star pitchers in Ryan Vogelsong, Tim Lincecum, and Matt Cain in that order.
Game Notes & Injury Updates:
Carlos Beltran had his 11-game hitting streak snapped with an 0 for 3 night at the plate.
Justin Turner's record streak of games in which he reached base safely ended at 28 with his 0 for 4 night.
After going 0 for 3 on the night, Reyes' roster replacement, Nick Evans is hitless in 15 at-bats in 2011.
The Mets official website reported that Johan Santana would throw a bullpen session Thursday morning, but the pitcher Tweeted that because of the weather, the session would be pushed back some point Friday. If all goes well, Santana could soon start a Spring Training-like program.
Newsday.com reports that David Wright will not come off the DL immediately after the All-Star break. The third baseman has not been in a game since May 15 due to a stress fracture in his back.
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