Angel lifts Mets to win: Mets 9, Diamondbacks 6

Nice win for the Mets last night in a game they had to have.  They couldn’t afford to blow another one against a bad team, and thanks to Angel Pagan they did not.

After the Diamondbacks tied it at 5 apiece, I figured there was no way the Mets were winning this game.  And pretty much every time I’ve gotten that feeling this season, I’ve been right.  But the tide turned last night.

Even with Pagan up wih bases loaded in the eighth, I figured here comes a double play.  Pagan had hit into some double plays during clutch at-bats this season, but there was something different about this spot.  Maybe it’s just because the result was different, but he had a certain look in his face like I am getting the job done right here.  Before in the big spots, he almost looked nervous like he didn’t want to screw up.  To me, it looked like he was confident last night.  And he crushed the ball into the stands for a grand slam.

There have been very few positives about this season, but Angel Pagan’s play is certainly one of them.  He’s established himself as a legit platoon outfielder on a contending team.  Right now, he’s starting everyday and that probably shouldn’t be his role, but if Carlos Beltran misses a month or two to start next season, I’d be fine with Pagan as the centerfielder for a little while.

So let’s see if for once the Mets can carry some momentum over from the game before.  It seems like after every great win this year, the Mets follow it up with a loss.  They need another win today…or whenever they play next.