Cardinals 1 – Mets 0
ST. LOUIS – Two Mets had a chance.
The bases were loaded with one out in the ninth inning last night, and the Mets trailed the Cardinals by a run. David Wright and Cliff Floyd were coming up.
And neither could tie it.
Wright struck out swinging against Card closer Jason Isringhausen, and Floyd grounded out to first base as the Mets lost 1-0.
Jose Reyes opened the ninth against Card lefty Mark Mulder (8 1/3 innings) with a double, and Paul Lo Duca bunted him to third. Carlos Beltran walked, and Carlos Delgado got hit by Mulder, which loaded the bases.
St. Louis brought in Isringhausen to face Wright, who had two hits already on the night. But Wright whiffed on a 91-mph cutter.
“I want to be up there with the game on the line,” Wright said. “I want to be up there with the bat in my hand, and I got that opportunity, and I’d like to think more often than not, I’m going to come through in those situations.
“But [last night] was just one of those ones where he had good stuff and you tip your cap to him and try to go out there and get ’em [today].” With two down, Floyd grounded out to Albert Pujols.
“I really thought I was going to come through,” Floyd said.
“Felt good, but it just wasn’t on my side. I put every ounce of effort I had into it.” While effort was there, hits with runners on base were not.
The Mets went 0-for-9 with men on base and 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. They didn’t lose any NL East ground as the Phillies lost again.
Steve Trachsel had his strongest start of the year last night, going a season-high seven innings and giving up only one run on four hits. But Mulder had his best start, too, holding the Mets to four hits as Trachsel took the defeat and the Mets got shut out for the second time this year.
“It’s tough to lose all of ’em, any of ’em,” Trachsel said. “So [I] just have to stay positive with the way I’ve been throwing the ball.” The nine-game trip for the Mets wraps up today, and ending on a high note could be tough. Closing out the series will be Jose Lima, who has given up 10 runs in 9 2/3 innings this season.
Trachsel’s only inning in which he didn’t throw a zero last night was in the sixth. He gave up a walk and a double, which finished him.
Pujols had gone 0-for-6 so far in the series, but in the sixth with one out, he walked on five pitches.
One out later, Scott Rolen slammed the ball into the gap in left-center for a double, scoring Pujols with no throw to the plate.
Trachsel and Mulder swapped zeroes for the first 5 ½ innings.
During that time, only one player got to third base (Wright in the fifth). Over the first four innings, the Mets put a runner on in three of them, but none got past first base against Mulder.
“[Mulder] caught some breaks and he’s one of those guys that moves the ball around a lot,” Floyd said. “He doesn’t overpower you. He just keeps the ball down and away from you, throws cutters into righties, stuff like that. He just had a good night.”
