CINCINNATI – There may be different ways to measure success. But Paul Lo Duca probably hadn’t enjoyed a huge offensive game by any of them in quite a while.
Last night, though, he astonishingly delivered the most productive game by a Met in more than a full year.
Lo Duca racked up a stunning performance at Great American Ball Park against the Reds, scripting perhaps the best game of his career. Going into last night, the catcher hadn’t homered since June 30 and had a total of seven RBIs since July 18.
Last night, he smacked two homers and put up seven RBIs in five at-bats.
Lo Duca smacked a pair of three-run homers and added an RBI single in the Mets’ 11-7 pounding of the Reds. It was the fifth straight win for the scorching Mets – a season high – and second straight rout over Cincinnati.
But Lo Duca’s effort was the unpredictable part.
The catcher certainly remains a fine player, but he’s not having his typical season. Lo Duca’s batting only .269, which is 49 points lower than he batted last year. Really, how unexpected was last night? Going in, Lo Duca had just three games this year in which he had two extra-base hits in a contest, let alone two homers.
“It’s not the way I wanted my year to turn out,” Lo Duca said, “but hopefully I can finish strong and help out my teammates.”
Lo Duca had a career game, but Carlos Delgado probably didn’t get to savor it as much as other people did. Delgado hurt his right hip while at the plate in the eighth inning – he wasn’t sure what happened – left before the bottom of the inning and labeled it as “a little sore” afterward.
Asked if he’d have to miss time, the first baseman responded, “I have no idea. We have to wait and see how it is in the morning.”
As for Lo Duca, he drilled a three-run homer in the second inning, a shot to left that gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. He added an RBI single in a five-run sixth in which the Mets retook the lead they’d blown, then he provided three important insurance runs with another shot to left in the eighth.
It was the third time Lo Duca slammed two homers in a game, the first time in nearly six years (Oct. 2, 2001). It was the most RBIs for a Met since Jose Valentin plated seven last July 8.
The Mets, who can author their second straight sweep this afternoon, remained five ahead of the Phillies, and they’re now 8½ up on the Braves.
“If we take this momentum home we can end it,” Lo Duca said. “We can end it when we go home.”
The Reds took a 5-3 lead off Oliver Perez through five innings (Lo Duca actually also hurt the cause with a throwing error). But the Mets put up five in the sixth, the rally beginning with Ruben Gotay, who reached base four times with a single and three walks.
Gotay singled in the sixth, and one out later, Carlos Beltran tied it with a two-run homer. Delgado and Moises Alou then both singled, bringing up Shawn Green.
The perception may be that Green’s having a rough year, but he’s doing far better than you might think. Consider that he’s had two RBIs apiece in three of his past four games, and his average following his three-hit effort last night is up to .277; with men on base, he’s at .289.
Green doubled to center in the sixth, bringing in Delgado and Alou to put the Mets up for good, 7-5. Lo Duca then drove in Green for an 8-5 edge, giving him four RBIs with three more to come.
Mets 11 Reds 7