(Photo Courtesy of John Minchillo/ AP)
By: Anthony Rivera
After starting the season 0-3, the New York Mets won their first game of the season friday night. They did it off the back of first baseman Lucas Duda’s two 2-run homers. On Saturday, another first baseman proved that he still has something left in the tank. Although he was pinch hitting, Ike Davis came through in the clutch with a massive walk off grand slam giving the Mets a 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. This was coming off the heels of manager Terry Collins anointing Lucas Duda as the starting first baseman for the foreseeable future.
This whole situation involving the first base competition is like the “Who’s on First?” skit straight out of an Abbott and Costello movie. We still don’t know who will seize the job, but we do know that for know it is Lucas Duda’s job to lose.
It was a nice bounce back win for the Mets and their second straight victory, improving their record to 2-3. Dillon Gee pitched well into the 8th inning where he gave up a 2 run blast to Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips. That gave the Reds a 3-2 lead heading into the ninth before Davis blasted one. We also saw replay in full affect. In the ninth with Juan Lagares at first, Anthony Recker pulled a sacrifice bunt in which Joey Votto threw to second for the force out. However, it appeared that Juan Lagares touched the bag before the ball was in shortstop Zack Cozart’s glove. Terry Collins ran straight out and challenged the play. When the umpires came back they had overturned the call and said that Lagares was safe. It was the Mets first challenge of the year and a successful one.
Welcome to New York Curtis Granderson!! Granderson gave us a taste of what he is made of when he sent a 2-run shot into the Pepsi Porch. At the time, that gave the Mets a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Hopefully this is the start of a huge bounce back season for Granderson.
On Sunday, Jon Niese will make his season debut after being on the disabled list with a hyperextended elbow. The first pitch is set for 1:10pm as the Mets try to finish off the sweep and go into their first road trip with a 3-3 record.
Anthony Rivera: PureSportsNY