Game Recap #13 Baltimore Orioles @ New York Mets

Our second game of the day has significantly less historical value, but proved to be just as much of a thriller near the end. The New York Mets put on a show in the middle innings after both Mets starter Dillon Gee and Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz kept things clean in the first few innings. Gee proved to be a bit more solid here, allowing just two base runners in the first three innings, while Matusz was working out of the jam more often. New York finally cracked Matusz in the fourth inning with a single from backup catcher Mike Nickeas, allowing utility man Scott Hairston to get home. Hairston used a ground rule double in the fifth inning to score Jordany Valdespin, and after intentionally walking Vinny Rottino, Matusz gave up a fielder's choice groundball to Ike Davis that brought in David Wright, ending Matusz's outing. His final line showed 4 2/3 innings, scattering seven hits and walking two to produce three earned runs, and striking out two. Gee, meanwhile worked very efficiently, still not having surrendered any additional base runners. He even hit a double in the sixth inning, which set him up nicely to score on a ground rule double from star third baseman Wright, all of which was off of reliever Luis Ayala. Gee was able to make it into the eighth inning before departing from the game after Wilson Betemit hit a two-run home run, also scoring Nick Johnson. Gee scattered a mere three hits and two walks, giving up just the two earned runs on the homer, and, taking a page out of recent superstar R.A. Dickey's book, fanning nine batters in 7 1/3 innings. With the lead on the line and having seen Bobby Parnell work well ahead of him, Frank Francisco came on to pitch. The results were far from pretty, as he gave up singles to Matt Wieters and Johnson, and then walked Mark Reynolds to load the bases. Steve Pearce drew a bases-loaded walk here that forced in Wieters, but Francisco was able to retire Brian Roberts and pick up the save in the 4-3 game. Surprisingly for this game, there was neither a double play or stolen base. Between the two games today, this one here had far more dramatic effect, especially with the late Baltimore rally that fell just short.