The Steve Miller Band was scheduled to play a concert at Citi Field at the end of today’s game. You may be familiar with the reference in their most famous song The Joker to the pompatus of love. Turns out that Steve Miller just made up the word pompatus. Made it up. Kind of like the Reds making up their outfield defense by playing Marlon Byrd in centerfield. To Byrd’s credit, he made the plays he should have. But I’m pretty sure now I’ll always think of Byrd whenever I hear that song. Or Walt Jocketty.
Reds 1, Mets 1 | FanGraphs Data | The Weather Girls | Fay on Rose
The Reds and Metropolitans played exactly two hours in a steady rain before the umpires called for the tarp after six innings. 53 minutes later, the game was suspended to be completed at 1:10 tomorrow afternoon. The regularly scheduled game will follow about 30 minutes after the completion of the suspended game.
The first six innings were a pitching duel between Matt Harvey and Michael Lorenzen. Before you contemplate comparing performances, keep in mind that Harvey is 26 while Lorenzen is 23. And the Mets pitcher has been a starter for 14 years while the Reds righty has been a starting pitcher for 14 months. That’s years vs. months. Harvey limited the Reds to 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. Lorenzen gave up 6 hits and 4 walks while striking out 4 in 5.2 innings.
Despite a pep talk from his catcher and a visit from his second baseman, Lorenzen walked the last two batters he faced, forcing his removal. That loaded the bases and set up a dramatic game-on-the-line showdown between Curtis Granderson and Reds reliever Manny Parra.
Granderson’s home off Johnny Cueto yesterday had provided the margin of victory. His solo shot accounted for the Mets only run today. He’d also doubled. Manny Parra was summoned to do the LOOGY thing against Granderson but got behind in the count 2-0 and 3-1 before he induced the Mets rightfielder to hit a harmless fly ball to Skip Schumaker in left field. Parra has a total of 19 appearances and given up earned runs twice, just once since April 15. If it wasn’t for J.J. Hoover, Manny Parra would own the comeback reliever narrative.
If you haven’t noticed, Michael Lorenzen is one great athlete. He can handle the bat – in Lorenzen’s last season at Cal State Fullerton, his junior year, he hit .335/.412/.515 in 269 plate appearances, with 23 extra-base hits, including 7 home runs, he also stole 12 bases – which he demonstrated with a perfect sacrifice bunt that contributed to the Reds only run. Lorenzen can field his position. He ranged way off the mound to field a chopper, spinning to throw out the runner in the sixth inning. And we’ve seen that Lorenzen has plenty of giddy up, as a pinch runner he scored a game winning run from first base. He’s like a taller Mike Leake with a 95 mph heater.
Tucker Barnhart scored the Reds only run after doubling to lead off the fifth inning. After Lorenzen sacrificed Barnhart to third, Brandon Phillips drove the catcher in with a double of his own to left-center field.