Jason Bay raised his spring training batting average to .462 in five games after going 2-for-3 in the New York Mets’ 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon in Florida.
Bay had two hits, one run batted in and two runs scored in the Mets’ fourth victory in eight games of Grapefruit League action.
All eyes were on star fielder Carlos Beltran who delivered a hit in his first at bat of the spring
Testing his right knee for the first time this spring, Beltran scored from second base with a slide into home plate. More importantly, he bounced right up.
Manager Terry Collins and general manager Sandy Alderson watched every stride as Beltran got the sign to go from third base coach Chip Hale.
“I couldn’t say what was going through my mind,” Collins said, “but it was a good play.”
Beset by knee problems that limited him to 81 games in 2009 and 64 last year, Beltran has been on a conservative program to strengthen the muscles around the knee. He restricted his running in the off-season, which is why he isn’t 100 per cent yet.
Last week, the three-time Gold Glove winning centre-fielder, in the final season of a seven-year, US$119 million contract, told Collins that he wanted to make the switch to right-field because of his knees.
Sunday’s game set a Mets attendance record of 7,413.
With files from CP