Cubs 13 Mets 4
As the symbol of the Mets’ awful season walked off the mound in the third last night, the crowd rose to its feet. It booed as hard as it could, trying to release all its frustrations.
Steve Trachsel undeniably embodies what once was and what is now at Shea. When the Mets last played at Yankee Stadium, the Mets were trying to win a World Championship.
Tonight when they step into the House That Ruth Built, they will be trying to stay out of the NL East basement. They are a half-game in front of the cellar-dwelling Expos.
Last night the Mets were crushed 13-4 by the Cubs. For once, it wasn’t the offense’s fault. Trachsel was awful, lasting just 2 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits. He received little support from the bullpen as Donne Wall, Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook combined to give up another six runs.
As for the offense, the Mets found a way to stop leaving runners in scoring position – they didn’t put anyone on.
Cubs starter Jason Bere no-hit the Mets for 4 2/3 innings. The first hit, however, further exemplified the team’s offensive futility.
Rey Ordonez belted a triple into the right field corner, scoring Todd Zeile. It was Ordonez’ first extra base hit in more than a month, spanning 85 at-bats. The Mets scored their three other runs when they were down by double-digits in the eighth.
The Norfolk Miracle cure apparently wore off for Trachsel. He reverted to the form that forced the Mets to shuttle him off to the minors in the first place.
On May 17 against the Padres, Trachsel was smacked so hard he ended up in Virginia, pitching in the minors. That night at Shea, he became the first Met to give up four homers in one inning.
That night, he allowed seven runs as he faced 11 batters in the third. Last night, Trachsel faced 11 batters again in the third and gave up seven runs.
Trachsel couldn’t find the strike zone and, when he did, the Cubs blasted his pitches. In the dreadful third, Trachsel didn’t get beat by Sammy Sosa. He got beat by Bere, the pitcher, among others.
Bere had started the inning with a single and was the final batter Trachsel faced. Bere doubled and that caused pitching coach Charlie Hough to pull Trachsel.
In the inning, Trachsel gave up two singles, two doubles and a triple.
Trachsel had pitched better since he returned from Triple-A. In his five starts before last night, he owned a 3.55 ERA in 33 innings. The Mets only won two of those five games, but Trachsel looked better. Last night, he regressed.
Tonight the Mets go into Yankee Stadium, where they helped make history last October. This time, they are history.
