CINCINNATI — The rallying cry came from veteran Willie Harris in the trainer’s room before last night’s game. Carlos Beltran was traded to the Giants, and Harris had a message for any Mets within earshot.
Mike Pelfrey said Harris’ declaration was simple: “Let’s make the playoffs, too, and let’s beat Carlos Beltran in the playoffs.”
Harris later owned up to making the statement.
“I mean, how cool would that be?” Harris said after the Mets beat the Reds 8-2 at Great American Ball Park. “We trade our best hitter and then we send him home in the playoffs.”
The post-Beltran era is off to a rousing start with last night’s barrage, which included a 4-for-5 performance from Daniel Murphy and three-run homer by David Wright. The Mets (53-51) won their third straight, but remained 7 ½ games behind the Braves in the NL wild-card race.
If there is hope for the Mets without Beltran, last night should serve as a template that is saved and referred to often: Get the early lead. Build from that lead. And, oh yeah, it helps when Pelfrey isn’t a disaster.
Pelfrey (6-9) pitched his fourth career complete game, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Earlier in the week, he questioned general manager Sandy Alderson’s decision to put Beltran on the trade block — the right-hander indicated the front office would be sending the message it was giving up on this season.
Pelfrey softened his tone last night.
“Obviously we’re a better team with Carlos Beltran,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean that Lucas Duda or Willie Harris or Scott Hairston on the bench can’t step up. [The trade] is unfortunate, but we’re all professionals and we’re going to continue to go out there and play and go out there and win.”
Wright took the baton from Beltran to become the Mets’ most feared hitter again. The third baseman rose to the occasion with a three-run homer against Jose Arredondo in the seventh that blew the game open, giving the Mets an 8-1 lead.
Wright finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs and is batting .429 since returning from the disabled list on Friday, after missing two months with a stress fracture in his lower back.
Maybe the best sign of the night for the Mets came in the sixth, when Beltran’s replacement in right field, Duda, homered leading off. The homer was his second of the season.
The Mets grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Bronson Arroyo and never trailed.
“Today could have been a disappointing day for us,” manager Terry Collins said. “But they just kept themselves up and a just went out there and, of course, the big man on the mound led the way.”