Mets Win on Michael Cuddyer Hit in 9th

Michael Cuddyer came through in the bottom of the ninth inning to give a much-needed win against the Giants to avoid a sweep.

Jonathon Niese got off to a rough start. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs in the first. A single brought home one run and a double play brought home another, and quickly the Mets were in a 2-0 hole.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth. A walk and an error but runners on first and second. Travis d’Arnaud then hit a bloop single down the right field line — the Mets first hit of the game — to make it a 2-1 game.

The Mets took the lead in the fifth. Niese led off with a double. A single moved him to third. Niese scored on a sacrifice fly to tie the game and then the Mets took a 3-2 lead when Michael Cuddyer doubled.

Niese was cruising, but with two outs in the sixth Eric Campbell booted a ground ball for an error. Instead of sitting in the dugout, Niese had to face Brandon Crawford, and of course he homered to give the Giants a 4-3 lead.

Niese went seven innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits.

The Mets got him off the hook in the seventh. Pinch hitting for Niese, Darrell Ceciliani doubled to lead off the inning. Granderson followed with a single to bring him home and tie the game at four. Juan Lagares singled to put runners on first and second, still with no outs. But Lucas Duda grounded into the rally-killing double play to leave a runner on third with two outs. Cuddyer flied out to end the inning.

Granderson was hit by a pitch with one out in the ninth. He moved to second on a passed ball and went to third on a ground out. Duda was intentionally walked to face Cuddyer with two outs. He singled on the first pitch to get a nice 5-4 win for the Mets.