The top of the first inning was that one inning as the scored four runs off Mets starter Johan Santana and never looked back as starter Carl Pavano (9-6) went the distance in his second-complete game. The last time Pavano had a complete-game shutout was on June 5, 2009 against the Chicago White Sox. The former Yankee starter struck out four batters while only giving up one walk in the victory. Santana (5-5) allowed five runs for the fourth straight start, and has still not defeated his former team.

“They (the Twins) came out early and put some good at bats on him (Santana) early in the game,” Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. “I thought he made some nice adjustments, he had to use his slider today due to so many lefties in the lineup today and it is a pitch that he can now use to get outs on a consistent basis.”

Double plays along with some key doubles led to the victory for Minnesota as Orlando Hudson got the game going in the top of the first with a two base hit to center field. Joe Mauer laced a single to center field to plate the speedy Hudson to make the score 1-0 Twins. Later in the inning Michael Cuddyer worked the walk to set the stage for Jason Keble who hit a ground rule double (11) down the left field line going into the stands which plated the second Minnesota run. Delmon Young followed up with a double (19) to center field, which made the score 4-0 Twins.

“It was the line drives and double plays that hurt us offensively” Manuel said. “We hit it hard but they were able to make the plays behind Pavano, who pitched very well today.” He would continue by saying, “All of Johan’s starts are usually different as he starts against the other teams’ aces, and there are a lot of good pitchers in MLB this season.”

In the bottom of the second inning the Mets would try to strike back as Ike Davis worked a walk. Unfortunately for the 37,510 fans in attendance Jason Bay would hit a screaming line drive right to shortstop Nick Punto, who turned the six-six-three double play. The first of two for the Twins, as Punto would turn the second double play in the bottom of the third as Cora would pop up to the shortstop, who would throw out Francoeur at first.

Punto would continue his fine day by starting the top of the fourth inning with a single to right field. Carl Pavano laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to second for Denard Span who placed a double to right field (12), Span who plated the fifth run.

The Mets would try to get a rally going again in the bottom of the fifth inning. After a strikeout to Davis and a Bay fly out to right field, back-to-back hits by Rod Barajas, who is returning from a bad back and Jeff Francoeur set the stage for Alex Cora. The rally would soon end as Cora hit a ground ball for the final out.

Minnesota would add the last run in the top of the ninth inning as Mets manager Jerry Manuel called for relief pitcher Fernando Nieve who gave up a home run to Jason Kubel (10) who lifted a 1-0 over the wall in right field.

Pavano who looked as sharp in throwing 110 pitches, with 75 of were in the strike zone, came out in the bottom of the ninth inning and sat the Mets down in order to end the game, and secure the complete-game shutout bid.

These two teams will face each other again in the rubber game on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. as Scott Baker (6-6, 4.61 ERA) takes on Jonathon Niese (4-2, 4.17 ERA)

This story originally posted on www.latinosports.com

Friday evening at Citi Field, with starter Mike Pelfrey on the mound, New York improved to 16-9 in the first game of a series with their 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. They have won seven straight series openers, 11-2 at their home park.

But when Denard Span hit a game leadoff home run on a 0-1 pitch, the ball traveling and going over the 358 sign in left, Pelfrey made it look like it would be a struggle, from the onset for the Mets to get another opening series win.

“I stayed in there and kept trying to grind,” said Pelfrey (10-2) who got the win in six innings of work. He allowed two runs and six hits and did not walk a batter in getting his sixth win in nine starts at home.  “It was tough” said Pelfrey because that leadoff home run by Span, his third, may have been hard to overcome.

The Twins in a battle for first place with Detroit in the American League central, ahead by a half game coming in, are a tough team to retire. “That team is very good,” said Pelfrey who threw 117 pitches. “They made me work out there and fouled off a lot of pitches.”

But one thing about this Mets team is their resilient approach to come from behind. They did it again against Twins starter Kevin Slowey. They scored three runs in the fourth started by a Jose Reyes soft single, later scoring on a David Wright RBI double.

So Pelfrey had the lead, and the Mets once again played small ball and errorless baseball. Wright would also hit a solo home run in the sixth, off Slowey that gave the Mets their fifth run, his 13^th of the season, and with two more runs batted in has 37 in his last 37 games.

“I’m in a good spot right now, I feel good,” said Wright who came into the game leading the National League in RBI.  “He seems very confident at the plate at this time and that’s a good sign for us,” said Mets manager Jerry Manuel about the resurgence of Wright who hit his third home run at Citi Field this season.

And it is the small ball that has the Mets also feeling confident. They remained a half game behind first place Atlanta as they play game two of the series Saturday afternoon with ace Johan Santana on the mound.

“Small ball in a big ball park” said Manuel.  He added, as was the case in this game, “We won’t give them the momentum,” meaning his team which got their 11^th come from behind win of the season will stay competitive when they don’t score first.

GAME NOTES FROM THE METS:   Carlos Beltran went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk as the designated hitter with St. Lucie of the Florida State League in his second rehabilitation assignment.   Outfielder Angel Pagan, day-to-day with a muscle pull said he feels better and may be in the lineup Saturday.

“Tomorrow I am going to swing and see what happens,” commented Pagan who said that rest, treatment and exercise were a part of the regiment the past two days. Pagan has missed the last two games and is rumored to be a player in a possible trade that would bring pitcher Cliff Lee to the Mets…

Ruben Tejada a natural shortstop, and at second, for the injured Luis Castillo is playing the position well and also connecting at the plate. He extended his hitting streak to nine games with a double in the fifth inning and the streak is the second longest for a rookie in the major leagues this season.

“He is playing with confidence and I am surprised about his ability to play second base,” said Manuel about his rookie that is part of a Mets home grown infield that includes Wright at third, Reyes at short, and Ike Davis at first….

Jason Bay may once again be seeing the ball better and his ability to drive in runs makes the Mets lineup that more potent, as was expected when he was picked up in the off-season. “He’s one of those guys that when he gets hot he gets going,” said Maunel. Bay had a run scoring double in that third inning and has driven in two in the last two games….

With three more scoreless innings of relief the Mets pen has pitched 21.1 scoreless innings dating back to the eighth inning on June 17^th, allowing 15 hits, walking seven and striking out 25.  Francisco Rodriguez got his 17^th save though giving up two singles in the ninth. He also is having some stiffness in his back which prompted Manuel to see him on the mound

Rodriguez admitted it has been something he has been dealing with and he recently took a anti-inflammatory shot. Manuel sees no reason for concern though speculation persists that the Rodriguez failure to get through an easy inning may be attributed to the stiffness.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

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Mike Pelfrey

David Wright

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Join me today at 5PM ET for THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN on BLOGTALK RAIDO. My guests will be James S. Hirsch, author of the best selling book Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend (Scribner) and Seth Stohs of Seth Speaks who writes extensively about the  Minnesota Twins. We will discus the Joe Mauer signing, the opening of Target Field and who will close for the Twins now that Joe Nathan is done for the season, and much more.

Tune in live at 5PM ET on Blogtalk Radio or listen at your leisure right here at Kranepool Society (link is on lower left sidebar), at my THIS CALL TO THE BULLPEN site (please excuse the mess it’s still under construction) or at the show page on Blog Talk Radio.

Kudos to Paul Lukas and the great Uni-Watch site for calling bullshit on these so called retro uni’s the Mets are hawking. As Lukas so eloquently states, these are the same pinstriped uniforms the Mets never wear only in a darker shade of white. Plus they still have the name on the back and of course the ugly ass black shadow. I guess the black is appropriate though as Mets fans we are always in mourning.

If the Blue Jays are dumb enough to trade Roy Halliday to either the Highlanders or Red Sox then Jeffey Skill Sets may have competition for the dopiest executive in baseball. Trading Halliday to their AL East biggest competitors would be like the Mets trading Johan Santana to the Phillies or Braves  Oh shit, I hope I didn’t give Jeffey an idea?

Even though this doesn’t make sense because it’s the right move to make and the Mets the last couple of years haven’t made many right moves, I still feel the Mets will be a major player in the Halladay Sweepstakes.

Mets Lifers are selling some great t-shirts that depict Keith Hernandez’ 17 and Mike Piazza’ 31 as retired numbers and shirts commemorating Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

The Mets made it official naming their new and improved coaching staff for 2010. Razor Shines leaves the third base coaches box after a horrendous season there and will be relegated to first base where we can do limited damage.

Third base will be manned by Chip Hale who worked for the Minnesota Twins during the successful Tom Kelly era. (How great would it be to have Tom Kelly step in as Mets manager? In fact I may post Kelly’s picture and managerial stats once a week to get the drums beating)

Dave Jauss will be Jerry Manuel’ new bench coach but his real claim to fame is he is the son of legendary Chicago sporst writer Bill Jauss. Papa Jauss was a member of one of favorite all time TV shows The Sportswriters on TV which used to play here on the old SportsChannel network.

Back and hopefully better are Old School Dan Warthen and Randy Niemann  and of course HoJo .

The most important and some what puzzling hire was that of Terry Collins as the Minor League Field Coordinator. From reading his resume I can’t figure out what Collins qualifications are to get such an important job? It’s not like he is coming in with and championship pelts on his belt or a list of players that were developed under his rein plus last year he was managing in something called the Northwoods Summer League. When you look at his body of work hw sure has held a lot of jobs in baseball and not too many with success. I guess as long as he doesn’t curse out the bushers and take his shirt off he’ll be ok.

{UPDATE: Mark Harrington of The Buffalo News thinks Collins is not only a great hire but the guy to step in if (when) J-Man gets the ax this season.}