The Angel offense came alive last night, but the Mets already had the lead in the first and never trailed as the Angels lost 6-9.
The Angels matched the Mets with 11 hits, but only six runs were scored to take the loss. This is only the second time in the last 25 games that the Angels have put up six runs, the last time coming in last Tuesday’s win. The Angels scored their first off Garret Anderson’s sacfly in the first. They added two more in the fourth to make it 3-4 off RBI-singles by Torii Hunter and Howie Kendrick. The Angels were then down 3-8 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but added three runs to close the Mets gap. Jeff Mathis, Chone Figgins, and Anderson each had RBI-singles in the rally. The tying runs were on but the Mets bullpen fanned Vlad and Hunter to end the threat. Anderson also represented the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth but grounded into a double play to give the Mets the win.
Jered Weaver took his seventh loss of the season after giving up six runs on eight hits through 6 1/3. Weaver gave the Angels four runs in the first three innings, including two solo shots to Carlos Beltran. He then regained control, holding the Mets scoreless through the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings, but he allowed the Mets to begin a rally in the seventh that drove him from the mound. Jose Arrendondo then came in to finish the inning, but did so by giving up a 2-RBI single to Luis Castillo and an RBI-double to David Wright. The four-run Mets inning was topped off when Casey Kotchman made his first error of the season, letting a ball get by him into right field to allow another run to score.
The two teams duel again today, but this time the Mets will have a new manager, as Willie Randolph was fired following last night’s game. John Lackey is set to face Mets’ ace Johan Santana. Lackey is 3-1 after six starts. Santana is 7-4 with a 2.85 ERA and is 2-3 lifetime against the Angels.
