Postgame: Dodgers 5-Mets 4

Unacceptable. It is unacceptable to strand 13 runners on base as Hiroki Kuroda blows up in the first few innings, loading the bases not once, but twice, only for Mets hitters to falter in the clutch. It is unacceptable for this team to be hitting a collective .245. And it is unacceptable to let the Dodgers steal the victory that they did last night.

Kuroda was troubled from the start, serving up a long ball to Ryan Church in the first. The man from Osaka then loaded the bases, giving up RBI singles to Luis Castillo and Jose Reyes. The only other time the Mets would score was in the third, when Moises Alou stole home on a great double-steal call by Willie Randolph. As previously mentioned, the Mets stranded 13, yes, 13, on the night. Nelson Figueroa never looked dominant, and his breaking ball missed badly all night. He took the loss, going 5 full innings giving up 5 runs, all earned, on 8 hits, striking out 3 and walking 4. As per usual, when the team is losing, the bullpen pitched very well, with Aaron Heilman, Joe Smith, and Pedro Feliciano each turning in a scoreless inning.

Church barely missed a long fly ball at the wall that allowed Blake DeWitt to hit an inside the park home run. DeWitt might as well be Pat Burrell, because he has been tearing the Mets a new one, going 3-4 with 4 RBI last night. Juan Pierre also drove in a run for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers stole this one, with Hong Chih-Kuo pitching a masterful 3.2 in relief of Kuroda, striking out 8 Mets batters. The Dodgers’ great 8th and 9th combo of Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito subsequently finished off the Mets.

Carlos Beltran didn’t start last night because of flu-like symptoms. He struck out pinch hitting in the 8th. Beltran is hitting .219 on the year, by the way.

I’ve been the first one to defend Willie this season, but a few more games like this and my attitude is going to change very quickly.

-Jonathan Kraft

Mets Pregame: 5/6 at LAD

The Game: New York Mets (16-14) at Los Angeles Dodgers (18-14)

The Matchup: Nelson Figueroa (2-1, 4.08 ) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (1-2, 3.82)

The Story: The Mets are hoping their bats make it from Arizona to Los Angeles tonight as they look to do a little better offensively than last night, when Chad Billingsley shut New York’s hitters down. Jose Reyes, Ryan Church, and David Wright went a collective 0-10 on the night against Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton, and Takashi Saito.

Tonight, the Mets face rookie Hiroki Kuroda, the Dodgers’ big offseason acquisition out of Japan. Kuroda has been a good story for the Dodgers, just as Nelson Figueroa has for the Mets. Figgie was skipped over last go-around in the rotation in favor of Johan Santana, but he did take over for Oliver Perez after his disaster against Pittsburgh last week. The super-journeyman out of Brooklyn has been a great story so far, and looks to continue the magic tonight.

Carlos Delgado has certainly come around for the Mets, and is 8 for his last 25 with 3 HR and 6 RBI. It would be nice if the rest of the team decides to join him tonight at Chavez Ravine.

Lineups:

Mets: Reyes (SS), Church (RF), Wright (3B), Beltran (CF), Alou (LF), Delgado (1B), Schneider (C), Castillo (2B), Figueroa (P)

Dodgers: Pierre (LF), Jones (CF), Kemp (RF), Kent (2B), Martin (C), Loney (1B), DeWitt (3B), Hu (SS), Kuroda (P)

-Jonathan Kraft