On they day they learned their Captain, David Wright, will be on the disabled list for the foreseeable future, Noah Syndergaard and the much-maligned lower third of the batting order gave the Mets just what they needed. After the ridiculous nature of their circus loss to the White Sox on Wednesday, they played a crisp game, even with Syndergaard at slightly less than his best.
The Marlins opened the scoring in the second when Marcell Ozuna hit a line drive over the left field wall. The Mets answered in fourth with Asdrubal Cabrera hitting a balloon to right center for a home run and they took the lead on singles by Yoenis Cespedes and Wilmer Flores, who completely shattered his bat on the RBI. Syndergaard made the one-run cushion stand up until sixth. A single by Martin Prado, a freak double by Christian Yelich off Cabrera’s glove behind second base and an Ozuna sacrifice fly knotted the score at two-all. But the injury replacements responded immediately. Flores led off the seventh drawing a walk and James Loney brought him home with a long, long homer off reliever Mike Dunn. It was the 100th round-tripper of Loney’s career. Meanwhile, Syndergaard survived a hit, a walk and three stolen bases in the bottom half, striking out leadoff man Derek Dietrich to end those matters and finishing with nine strikeouts, all tolled. The final touches were added in the top of the ninth, with Rene Rivera blasting a home run to centerfield following a double by Flores.
So with the Nationals losing in Cincinnati, the Mets now find themselves equidistant between first place and third, 2 games on either side.
Bartolo Colon pitches tomorrow against Justin Nicolino.
A very solid win thanks to Flores, Loney and Rivera. TC was also wise to bring in Henderson in the 9th instead of Familia after Rivera hit his two run homer which removed the save opportunity. Flores needs to step up the most because in his limited time in the majors he has not ever put up an above average OPS+ in a season. Failure during the next six weeks will result in him losing his role as Wright’s caddy which is more and more looking like Wright’s permanent replacement. I am rooting for him to suceed but my observations are that his ceiling is just a utility infielder. Loney is playing for his major league life since he couldn’t crack a roster this spring. A good six weeks may earn him a permanent roster spot when Duda comes back with a chance at some post season play. Rivera seems to be replacing Plawecki which will also secure him a roster spot when TDA comes back in a projected three weeks. Three players desperately hanging on. Three players coming through. Three players that are needed by the Mets to make some small contributions in order for the Mets to keep the Nats within striking distance.Three small words, Lets Go Mets.
Great to score six runs on a night when Granderson and Conforto gave them nothing.
MC looks completely lost. Walker ran on a 3-2 count, one out, Conforto took the curve down the middle for strike three, and Walker was thrown out by five feet. He sort of turned to look back at home plate, thinking WTF? Left high and dry. It’s like Michael isn’t seeing the ball at all. The wires in his brain not firing, synopsis blocked.
It’s astonishing how good players can go through stretches where they look soooooo bad. MC has been brutal, appears confused, shaken, clueless.
(Note: This comment virtually guarantees two hits for MC in this afternoon’s contest. You’re welcome!)
Conforto looks up and out on every swing….. big cuts at pitches that are not there—and he’s expanded his swing zone to a point where it’s confusing his own eye.
Use the gaps!
It would help if the team encouraged solid contact like everyone does in the minors, in college, in high school, in little league, and on the other 29 MLB teams. But instead, everyone from the manager on down preach homerun. To his credit, I never heard Sandy Alderson ever really say that. He is more be selective, wait for a good pitch philosophy kind of guy.
This is a young hitter suffering from trying to satisfy the idiot decision makers of this organization.
Walk and HR – That is the Alderson way Gus dont you think?
You know Chris, he never actually said that but we perceive that based on his transactions. Also, if he didn’t like that approach maybe it would have been changed…
I know that making hard contact and moving runners along has been emphasized since the 1800’s, but of course what does everyone else know?
Baseball should be broken down as pre-Scott Hatteburg and post-Scott Hatteburg eras, as he was the start of this. If he hits .210 and sucks, this never would have happened.
Baseball is a very hard game that looks deceptively easy. We should be reminded of that when we watch extremely talented, intelligent players look so bad. Conforto will get through it.
Correct…mostly, he’s slumping—- and he’s attempting to carry a squad that has been down 3 of 8 regulars.
Conforto will be ok