The Mets snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a ninth inning comeback that provided a 5-3 win and a split of the four-game series in Arizona.
The D’Backs scored a scratch run in the bottom of the eighth and it looked like another tough loss for the Mets. But Jose Reyes reached base on a bunt single, one that the catcher picked up instead of letting roll foul. Then pinch-hitter Jose Bautista hit an RBI double, one that announcer Gary Cohen felt that the D’Back outfielder did not get a good jump on.
That set the stage for Brandon Nimmo, who already had two hits in the game. Nimmo turned on a pitch and clobbered a two-run homer to give the Mets the lead. Then Asdrubal Cabrera followed with a solo shot to put the Mets up two runs.
Robert Gsellman pitched the ninth for the Save. Jeurys Familia allowed the run in the eighth but picked up the win after the big offensive ninth inning. Zack Wheeler started and pitched well but had trouble in one inning, aided in part by a missed strike call by the ump. His final line was 2 ER in 6 IP with 8 Ks.
The Mets need outings like what Steven Matz gave them Saturday and Wheeler today if they’re going to turn their season around. But all the starting pitching in the world won’t matter if the offense doesn’t show up. Back-to-back five run games gives hopes that the bats are leaving hibernation.
And while Nimmo is the number one star of the game, for once you gotta hand it to Bautista and Reyes for putting the game in Nimmo hands after Smith and Plawecki got dispatched of easily by Boxberger. I was sure that Wheeler, who was excellent was gonna have a hard luck loss, but thankfully the bats stepped up.
This is the type of win that gets you believing in a team if they were in the race, but alas the Mets are only in a race for 4th place, but nonetheless this was a fantastic comeback win and Nimmo contuing to kill it and Wheeler pitching very well excites you.
No idea why Familia was activated before pitching in a rehab game, pretty brutal judgement by the front office. Familia didn’t look so hot but that’s not on him, I’m not getting rushing a guy back without rehab game on a dead team.
Another brutal game by Bruce among his worst this year, which is saying something. He would have been the goat of the game if they lost this one.
All in all great win and hopefully the offense starts to get going a little.
Nice win! Nimmo is fantastic, and hats off to Sandy for drafting him!
Consequences needed for Smith—fine him and bench him for a bit!
what dis Smith do to merit a Fine?
In the 9th inning he might have hot dogged it a little fielding the throw from Cabrera. He dropped the ball and the runner got on.
I’m pretty sure the club can’t fine him. But this is the type of thing that players used to have a Kangaroo Court for.
Smith should be hustling like Nimmo,
For everyone who said Nimmo’s ceiling was fourth outfielder because “the experts” claimed it, enjoy the crow (except for Chris F who has already expressed regret). Maybe our kids deserve a shot? Next up for opportunity, Cecchini?
The Mets deserved this win. They had enough games go the wrong way, whether their own doing or not, and deserved some good fortune. We learned today that the D-Backs give attention to base running every game via Dave McKay. Maybe that little meeting about base running and a continued emphasis on fundamentals would help re-focus?
At this point I bring up all the kids. I don’t expect much tho. Never know without seeing them though.
“Never know without seeing them though.”
That’s all we ever said, going back to original ugly duckling that couldn’t see the field. You know who…
So this win kinda offsets that blown 6-1 lead to the Nats a while back. Kinda.
Two in a row…break up the Mets. No, really, break them up and lets see what more kids can do. Another surprise like Nimmo and there just may be enough core to build around with Jake and Noah.
Not everyone made a decision on Nimmo prior to the Season. Look, it doesn’t matter much what a Blog Crowd thinks…but most of this stuff is dominated by guys who have never seen “a player”….and wouldn’t know one if that player was sitting on him—– and I don;t necessarily dis-include myself!!!!
its important to recognize that all #1 picks don;t become Altuve or Trout, or……..
When young talented hitters “control AB’s”, they have a shot…. they can change approach and all sorts of things, but control of the strike Zone is a big indicator for young players. If a guy has that, he has a shot.
For Me, I saw more horsepower in Nimmo…a guy who needed get aggressive in Hit Counts. Guillorme similarly controls ab’s— I don’t believe he has “more horsepower”, but I won’t dismiss it.
This is not to say that there are not other stats that determine forward projection,,,,, but I never agreed that Nimmo had built in Limits—other than not being a 20 year old Wunderkind
Jay Bruce is a giant sucking black hole in the middle of the lineup.At least drop him down to the 8 hole if you must pkay him.
The love that Wheeler is receiving from many blog sites and writers is borderline ridiculous. He should be a guy who the Mets look to boot from the rotation if possible yet people are talking about him having trade value and such. This is a guy with a season 4.82 ERA, good for a 79 ERA+. That’s barely 5th starter material. And that’s after a “hot stretch”. The numbers will look much worse when, not if, he runs into another rough patch. Only saving grace this year is his 5.2 IP/start, which in today’s game is average.
It just doesn’t make sense why he doesn’t get more criticism.
It’s different mix and command for Wheeler— bigger velocity, too. It’s a hot luck streak with some substance to it. See if it sticks