MLC @ GTB Vol. 1, Episode 4

Yes, GTBers, it's more Mets and Red Sox drivel. Hoping you are enjoying this throwback venture, and if not, well, I guess I'd suggest that you get off your collective keister and add some content of your own. Other than a solitary Teej joint in June, only OBX Dave has buffeted the (mostly) rob and (way less) Whitney show this summer. 

Game 2 of the GTB Derby
Red Sox at Mets
7:10pm, Tuesday, September 3

With our Sox correspondent RR taking in some of New Zealand's finest smooth music (ever) tonight, that leaves me to watch the Met-iocrity and paint something of a picture for him upon his return from the Trap. We'll drop a few Crowded House references in here for fans.

Met lefty David "Sgt." Peterson on the hill tonight. Last season he spent six months in a leaky boat (Not even Crowded House! Their brother act Split Enz! Wow!), but this year he's plugged the holes and is sporting a 2.83 ERA.

Oh, and it's his birthday tonight. O/U on mentions of that unimportant fact in the broadcast: 16.5.

Peterson is on tonight: 3 K's in the first. (Ed Note: 8 K's through 4, and he ended up with 11 through six frames.)  But Sox hurler Kutter Crawford matched him -- if not in strikeouts, sheer dominance. He surrendered just one hit and 2 walks over six strong innings while fanning 8.

Thing is... that one hit was a 2-run job by Francisco Lindor. Crushing it, my man.

So, I think I failed to get through to the GTBitterati how good a reference this was in the last post:

His name sounds like Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera had a baby.

See, for the uninformed, Roger "Shamuel Longhorn" Clemens named his sons Koby, Kory, Kacy, and Kody to reference his lofty K total. It's cool, no, really. And Mariano Rivera was the maestro with his cut fastball, referred to as the "cutter." You know what they say about jokes you have to explain. Sigh.

Anywho, Kutter Crawford kept the Mets hitters utterly locked out beyond that one mistake. Kid has some sick off-speed weapons in his arsenal. 

Peterson leaves after 6, up 2-1.  His only allowed run came on a flare, a gork, a dying quail, to quote Crash Davis. Not bad.

José Buttó comes on in relief. I'm not thrilled. This guy's work makes me mangle his name in a horrible way utilizing a certain Long Island Lolita Lothario and the f-word. Be cool, Whit. Deep breaths. And then he mows the Sox down 1-2-3.

Keith Hernandez sees a toddler smiling adorably for a sideline camera and takes the time to point out that there's chocolate on her face and that her mother should clean her face. Yeah. You tell her, Keith.

Crawford leaves after 6, down 2-1. Mark Vientos promptly hits something so strong into the left field seats in the bottom of the 7th. That's our 3B, baby.

Then the same Mets pitcher walks the first two batsmen in the Red Sox 8th. Buttofucko! He's quickly yanked for Reed Garrett, but after an infield single, there are bases loaded with nobody out. A sac fly later, Rob's speedster Masataka Yoshida comes up with a chance to break our backs. Don't dream it's over, boys. (You knew it was coming at some point.)

4-6-3. Phewwwwwwww. Feels like we've seen that go the other way too many times, but as we know, history never repeats. 

Need some insurance here, Metsies, I say aloud to a television. Up 3-2, bottom 8. As if to say "I got you," the Mets bats come alive. 38-year-old Sox reliever Chris Martin is in trouble immediately, firing nothing at the speed of sound (gauche to mix bands, but that's his name). McNeil singles!

"You know, if I thought Alvarez could bunt, I'd say it'd be a perfect spot to let him do something successful offensively."

      -- Gary Cohen backhanding our catcher, who's free-falling in a slump

And then Alvarez, in defiance of that slap, hits one the opposite way. 2 runners aboard. Then Flushing's conquering hero Lindor doubles off the wall. Keep it up, lad.

Darude's "Sandstorm" is playing at Citi Field. Um, that's a Gamecocks song! Ask Mark or Greg! Oh well. It's out. And it's fun.

A sac fly and a strikeout later, Polar Pete crushes one to left to make it 7-2. Hoo boy.

The Sox go down in order in the 9th as the Met with the worst haircut (Ryne Stanek) closes it out. Mets win. Happy Birthday, David Peterson.

I'm hoping rob isn't giving up the ship yet. But I need one more W tomorrow night.