Ike Davis picked the right moment yesterday to give this stagnant Mets lineup a swift kick in the Astro.
For a change, the Mets had a late-inning hero instead of goat, as Davis’ ninth-inning walk-off shot kept carrying until it barely cleared the right field fence, starting a home plate celebration in a 2-1 victory over the Astros at Citi Field.
More accurately, the final score was Davis 2, Astros 1: The Mets first baseman also homered earlier in the game.
So as R.A. Dickey chases 20 victories — he has 16 — maybe the other Mets milestone watch is Davis’ pursuit of 30 homers this season: His two blasts yesterday put him at 24 with 34 games remaining.
Considering Davis is batting only .223, he is certainly thrilled with his home-run total and 70 RBIs.
“For having such a bad start and possibly the worst I’ve ever been on a baseball field my entire life, right now I’ve really grinded it out and the numbers aren’t amazing but they’re not awful,” Davis said after his homer against Wilton Lopez gave the Mets their first consecutive home victories since June 20 and 22.
“As long as I play well enough to get a job next year and keep playing baseball, that’s what I’m excited about — maybe having a job next year.”
Jeremy Hefner had his chance at a complete-game shutout ruined when he gave up a run in the ninth.
Lucas Duda, playing left field in his return to the majors after spending a month at Triple-A Buffalo, misplayed Marwin Gonzalez’s fly ball into an RBI double, making it 1-1.
But Duda helped atone for that by throwing out Gonzalez at the plate as he attempted to score on Ben Francisco’s single.
Duda was exclusively a right fielder for the Mets before his demotion to the minors and said he is still getting used to left field. He indicated Gonzalez’s ball, which hit his glove as he ran toward the foul line, tailed on him at the last instant.
“I’m not going to be a Gold Glover in left just because I switched positions,” Duda said. “It’s going to take some work and I’m willing to work and do whatever it takes to play every day and help the team.”
Davis’ homer leading off the fourth against Lucas Harrell appeared as if it would be enough for the Mets (59-69).
Bobby Parnell (3-3) got the final two outs after Robert Carson retired a batter in the ninth, but Hefner was the pitching standout, allowing five hits and one walk over eight innings.
“It’s a huge letdown to give up the run, but that was elation when Ike hit that ball, and that was a lot of fun,” Hefner said. “Even though I gave it up, I’m still happy, because we won the game. If we lost the game, it probably would have been a little different emotion.”