Mets 7 - 6 Angels
Final/13
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Recker's blast leads Mets over Angels in extras

Apr 13, 2014 - 6:32 AM Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Recker's solo home run in the 13th inning sent the New York Mets past the LA Angels of Anaheim, 7-6, on Saturday.

Raul Ibanez forced extra innings for the second straight night with a three- run blast off Jose Valverde in the ninth, but the rest of the Mets' bullpen kept the Angels hitless over the final four innings.

John Lannan (1-0) retired the last six Angels hitters and earned the win a day after New York dropped the opener of this three-game interleague set, 5-4, in 11 innings.

Matt Shoemaker (0-1), who worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 12th, stayed on the hill the next frame and grooved a high fastball to Recker that was tomahawked into the left-field seats for the game-deciding blast.

"After throwing me two sliders, I was kind of thinking fastball," Recker said.

Omar Quintanilla's two-out, two-run single off Kevin Jepsen in the away ninth gave the Mets some breathing room at 6-3, and Valverde was on the verge of closing out the win after retiring retired Albert Pujols and Howie Kendrick.

Valverde had David Freese in a 2-2 count, but Freese kept the inning alive with a base hit up the middle. Erick Aybar took a 3-1 pitch off the plate to set the stage for Ibanez, and the 41-year-old slugger crushed a middle-in fastball deep into the right-field seats to send the home fans into a frenzy.

Ibanez's homer wasted a quality start from Jon Niese, who lasted 7 1/3 innings and gave up six hits and three runs -- two on solo homers by Chris Iannetta and Collin Cowgill.

Recker also had a two-run single for the Mets, while Quintanilla had three of the club's 11 hits.

Jered Weaver was on cruise control after surrendering a solo home run to Lucas Duda in the second inning, but New York rallied against the right-hander with two outs in the seventh.

Duda singled to put runners on the corners with two outs, and Juan Lagares chased Weaver with an RBI single to left. Recker greeted Fernando Salas with a blooper to center that fell in front of a diving Mike Trout, and Duda and Lagares came across to give the Mets their first lead.

"I was confident I could get the next guy out, but (manager) Mike (Scioscia) wanted a fresh arm," Weaver said.

Weaver was charged with four runs despite allowing only three hits. He issued four walks and was on the verge of falling to 0-3 for the first time in his nine-year career before Ibanez turned his outing into a no-decision.

Niese gave up an RBI single to Pujols in the first inning and served up homers to Iannetta and Cowgill in the fifth and sixth, respectively. Cowgill found the rocks beyond the wall in left-center, while Cowgill, the Mets' starting center fielder on Opening Day last year, sent one into the left-field seats.

Game Notes

The Mets have held a lead at some point in 10 of their 11 games this season ... The Angels were trying to climb over .500 for the first time since winning on Opening Day last year ... Cowgill finished with two hits and two runs scored and threw a runner out at home from left field in the first inning ... The rubber match on Sunday will see the Mets send Bartolo Colon to the hill opposite lefty C.J. Wilson ... Game time: 4:29.






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