Mike Pelfrey and the Mets Sink Reds 8-2

Mike Pelfrey didn't have the best of records coming into the game with Cincinnati but he did have a complete game under his belt.

Pelfrey held the listless Reds to two runs on seven hits to complete his second game of the year.

Bronson Arroyo struggled through six innings, giving up five runs but only four were earned.

The Mets scored two runs in the first inning to set the tone for the game and the Reds seemed to wilt in the July heat.  Jose Reyes, the leading hitter in the major leagues, beat out a slow roller to thirdbaseman Miguel Cairo.  Arroyo got the next two hitters but David Wright singled.  Ryan Hanigan was charged with a passed ball.  Angel Pagan doubled to deliver both runners.

Joey Votto, who had two of the Reds seven hits, hit his 15th home run of the year with no one on to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth.

"Outside of Joey Votto, we couldn't muster anything," Dusty Baker said.

The Mets cams right back though.

Pelfrey, on of the worst hitters statistically in baseball, singled to left to open the Mets' fifth..  Pelfrey was at the bottom of the list of major league averages at .029 at the time.  Reyes forced him at second but that turned out to be a bad break for the Reds.  Reyes stole second and Hanigan's throw went into center field.  Willie Harris walked to put runnets on the corner. David Murphy, who had four hits belted a double to score Reyes.  Harris scored on a fly out by Wright.

Arroyo gave up a home run to Lucas Duda in the sixth.

It has been six starts since Arroyo turned in a quality start.  He has been historically better in the second half of the season.

"It was a struggle tonight," Arroyo said.  "We got behind.  Reyes got to third and I got too fine.  You don't want to fall farther behind because we haven't been scoring runs.  I feel better now than I did two months agao.  Mediocre outings look worse when you lose 5-0 than if you win 6-5.  I'm just not able to lock things down lately.  I'm giving up too many homers."

Duda's was the 30th allowed by Arroyo this season.  The Reds record for home runs allowed in a season is 40 by Eric Milton in 2005.  For a righthanded pitcher the record is 35 by Sammy Ellis in 1966 and Aaron Harang in 2008.

"We have to talk to Bronson," Baker said.  "Everybody is banged up at this point of the season.  We have to ask him how he feels and get an honest answer."

David Wright put the game away for the Mets with a three-run home run off Jose Arredondo.  The Reds scored its second run on a triple by Jay Bruce and sacrifice fly by Chris Heisey, who will get most of the starts in leftfield since Jonny Gomes has been traded.