Ike Davis homers twice, including walk-off in ninth
New York Mets Ike Davis tosses his helmet as he runs to home base after his home-run hit in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros. (Aug. 26, 2012) Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Not much happened in the first eight innings of the Mets' 2-1 win over the Astros at Citi Field on Sunday. Then a lot happened in the ninth inning.
Ike Davis' second home run of the game gave the Mets a walk-off victory after the Astros had tied it in the top of the inning -- and Lucas Duda had thrown a runner out at the plate to keep it tied.
"Exciting," said Duda, who played leftfield in his return to the majors. "Exciting game."
Jeremy Hefner, who had just returned from paternity leave after the birth of his second child, took a 1-0 lead and three-hitter into the ninth. Pinch hitter Jose Altuve led off with an infield single and stole second before Marwin Gonzalez hit a liner into the leftfield corner that went off Duda's glove for an RBI double.
After two pitching changes, with one out, Ben Francisco singled to left off Bobby Parnell. Duda threw home on a fly to Kelly Shoppach to cut down Gonzalez, who was ejected for arguing the call.
"Kelly did all the work there blocking the plate," said Duda, who went 0-for-2 with a walk.
Davis, who had homered in the fourth, ended the game with the second walk-off home run of his career. The drive to right-center just got over Francisco's glove.
"It scared me," said Davis, who is batting .223 with 24 home runs and 70 RBIs. "I would have looked like a fool because I didn't run [hard] out of the box."
Hefner, who called his week a "whirlwind," allowed five hits, walked one and struck out seven in the best start of his rookie season.
Daniel Murphy left the game in the ninth with a posterior strain of his right shoulder. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Monday.
Jordany Valdespin was sent to Triple-A Buffalo to make room for Duda.
