NEW YORK -- Right-handed reliever Scott Oberg extinguished the Mets' hopes in a hurry during Friday night's 6-1 Rockies victory at Citi Field.
With the Rockies leading, 3-1, Oberg entered after Jake McGee had given up two singles to start the eighth inning. Three pitches later, the inning was over.
"Just three fastballs," Oberg said.
It took him almost as long to say it as it did to force Travis d'Arnaud's fielder's-choice grounder, Yoenis Céspedes' pop foul to first base and James Loney's grounder to the right side.
McGee gave Oberg a bear hug in the dugout, and why not? In Thursday's 2-1 victory, Oberg bailed McGee out of a worse situation -- bases loaded, no outs.
Oberg had been optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque twice before the Rockies recalled him last Saturday. With Chad Qualls (colitis) and Jason Motte (right rotator cuff strain) on the disabled list, and with the Rockies remaining careful with Adam Ottavino as he continues his return from Tommy John surgery, Oberg has found himself trusted with high-leverage situations.
"It's a lot of fun," Oberg said. "I want to go out there and help the team win every night."
Rockies manager Walt Weiss knew left-handed hitters Alejandro De Aza and Curtis Granderson would start the eighth. McGee was his best and only option. Often in such a tight game Weiss would go with lefty Boone Logan, but Logan appeared in all three games of the Baltimore series Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and he warmed up without appearing Thursday. Lefty Chris Rusin is a multi-inning pitcher who had to be saved in case the game went to extra innings. McGee was the right choice, but the wrong result.
But Oberg made it all better.
"We'd rather not draw it up that way, but he did it again," Weiss said. "He's been real good over the last couple seasons coming in with runners on. He's got that hard sinker and he makes hitters hit the top of the ball."