Brewers drop slumping Mets under .500
June 30, 2009
MILWAUKEE (AP)—Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum had recently told CaseyMcGehee(notes) that there’s nothing like the emotional swings they face in baseball.McGehee faced it all in the same inning.
“I experienced them both pretty quick,” McGehee said. “It’s ironic peoplestart talking about stuff and it happens right away.”
McGehee hit his first career grand slam moments after committing a costlygaffe in the sixth inning and then took out his frustrations on his helmet inthe Milwaukee Brewers’ 10-6 win over the reeling New York Mets on Monday night.
“Me and my helmet are going to have to have a sitdown apology sessionlater,” he joked. “I might have hurt its feelings.”
J.J. Hardy(notes) also went 4 for 4 with a homer and was on base all five times forthe NL Central leading Brewers, who have won three of four. Hardy also finallygot McGehee to smile a few innings after he dropped a routine pop up.
“I think it even took him a couple of innings to realize what he had donebecause he was still pretty upset about the dropped pop up,” Hardy said. “Wewere all really excited for him.”
Series at a Glance NY Mets 6 Milwaukee 10 Mon, Jun 29 – Final NY Mets at Milwaukee Tue, Jun 30 – 8:05 pm ET NY Mets at Milwaukee Wed, Jul 1 – 2:05 pm ET
The Mets have lost four straight, falling under .500 (37-38) for the firsttime since May 5, and not even the previously unflappable Fernando Nieve(notes) (3-1)could help. He gave up 11 hits and three runs before being pulled after 3 1-3innings.
“We’re a below average team. Period,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel said.
McGehee nearly gave New York a way out after giving the Mets life withstarter Braden Looper(notes) (6-4) cruising and Milwaukee leading 3-0.
With two outs and a man on first in the sixth inning, the Brewers thirdbaseman dropped Fernando Martinez’s(notes) routine fly ball when it hit the heel of hisglove and dropped harmlessly to the ground , putting runners on the corners.
“You play long enough you’re going to have one of those, ‘What are youdoing moments?”’ McGehee said. “(I) more felt terrible for Looper in thatbecause he was throwing the ball so well. … I felt like I took the momentum hehad going and kind of put it to a halt.”
Brian Schneider(notes) hit the next pitch off the wall for a two-run double to cutit to 3-2, but Looper got out of the jam.
New York Mets manager Jerry Ma… AP – Jun 29, 10:09 pm EDT
In the bottom of the inning, Hardy had his third extra base hit whenMartinez tried to make a diving catch on a liner to put men on second and thirdwith one out.
After Ryan Braun popped out and Prince Fielder(notes) was intentionally walked,McGehee drove a high fastball from reliever Brian Stokes(notes) into the Brewersbullpen in left center field to make it 7-2.
“I’m sure he went up there to try and redeem himself,” Stokes said.
McGehee, who has hit all five of his career homers in his last 13 games,returned to the dugout, covered his mouth and shouted into his helmet beforetossing it aside. Then, he acknowledged a curtain call from the 39,872 fans atMiller Park who booed him coming off the field minutes before.
“Prince had to tell me to get out there and I didn’t even know what hesaid. I didn’t really know what was going on,” McGehee said. “If somebodywould have told me this time last year I’d have 40,000 people calling me out ofa dugout for a curtain call, I would’ve told you you were lying.”
New York Mets center fielder F… AP – Jun 29, 9:28 pm EDT
That’s because McGehee was in the Cubs organization, stuck at Triple-A Iowabehind slugger Aramis Ramirez(notes) before being placed on waivers in the offseason.The Brewers scooped him up because of his ability to play second, third and bean emergency catcher, and McGehee earned his way on the opening day roster withan impressive spring.
The Brewers tacked on three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to take a10-3 lead, but the Mets forced the Brewers to use closer Trevor Hoffman(notes) with oneout in the ninth after five straight hits.
Gary Sheffield(notes), who had an RBI single in the seventh, hit a two-run homer inthe ninth off reliever Carlos Villanueva(notes) to make it 10-6 moments after DavidWright’s(notes) RBI double, and Villanueva allowed consecutive singles to Ryan Church(notes)and Martinez before being pulled for Hoffman.
The all-time saves leader forced Schneider to hit into a double play on hisfirst pitch for his 18th save in 19 tries.
NOTES: Mets CF Carlos Beltran(notes) (right knee) was in Vail, Colo. getting asecond opinion on his bone bruise from noted knee specialist Dr. RichardSteadman and will be re-evaluated later this week. … Mets RF Ryan Church (ill)returned to the lineup and went 4-for-5.
Comments
Got something to say?
