And the 2018 Luis Castillo Two Hands Award goes to…

Amed Rosario, come on down!

Dominic Smith receives the 2018 Richie Ashburn Yo La Tengo Award, as well.

Zack Wheeler now shares Jacob deGrom’s pain, as a brilliant start goes by the wayside. Wheeler pitched seven innings, surrendering five hits, walking one and striking out 10. Pretty great looking box score line, isn’t it? Too bad the offense couldn’t support it. The Mets entered the seventh leading 1-0, courtesy of a base hit by Rosario and a double by Wilmer Flores in the first. Wheeler did his damndest to make that stick, pitching out of a seond-and-third, no out jam in fifth by striking out the next three batters.He didn’t have the same luck in the seventh. Brandon Crawford — more on him later — led off with a walk. Brandon Belt hit an infield single to Rosario. Evan Longoria lined out to right, with Crawford crossing to third. Wheeler then struck out Steven Duggar and it looked like he’d dance between the raindrops one again. Instead, a popup down the left field line clanked off Rosario’s glove and fell to the ground for a game-tying double.

Now it was up to the bullpens. Robert Gsellman pitched a perfect eighth and ninth. Jerry Blevins did the same in the tenth. Paul Sewald gave up a base hit in the eleventh, but Daniel Zamora finished the inning after giving up a single of his own. The Mets almost ended the game in that eleventh, but Jose Reyes’s liner with two out and two on found its way into Crawford’s glove, rather than the outfield grass. Smith was double-switched into the game in left in the twelfth, when Tyler Bashlor replaced Zamora. Bashlor threw a clean inning. In the top of the thirteenth, Chase d’Arnaud led off with a base hit to left and advanced to second when Bashlor threw away a pickoff attempt, then went to third on a wild pitch. Andrew McCuthchen walked. Jose Panick hit a foul pop to third for the first out. Buster Posey then smacked a grounder to first. Flores came home with the throw, nailing d’Arnaud attempting to score. Crawford hit what appeared to be an inning-ending popup to shallow left. Rosario had it for a moment, but he collided with Smith. The ball popped out of his mitt and fell to the ground as McCutchen gleefully skipped home with the lead. The ungleeful Mets went down quickly in the bottom half.

It’ll be Chris Stratton vs. Steven Matz in game two of this four-game set tomorrow night at Citi Field.

8 comments on “Gut Reaction: Giants 2, Mets 1 (13 innings) (8/20/18)

  • Rae

    Dom Smith sucks and should not be in the Majors. The Mets either need to dump him or trade his ASAP! This guy thinks he can hit and field but he is atrocious at both hitting the ball and catching it. Wouldn’t it have been a much more reasonable AAA call up if either Kevin Kaczmarski or Patrick Kivelhan was called up from Vegas? Both guys are hitting much better then Smith, and both guys can catch and throw the ball. Period.

    • TexasGusCC

      Rae, you’re talking logic, but the Mets are talking desperation. If they were in a pennant race, then you bring up an outfielder. But since wins are not a consideration and first base is well accounted for with backup options, backup options to the backup option and worst case scenarios in place, Smith needs to move to another position in order to be evaluated.

      I’ve already declared him the most intellectually challenged player I’ve seen on a ball field. Everyday that he plays, his value goes down.

  • Madman

    Intellectually challenged? Hmmmmmm…….

  • Bob S

    I’m still questioning why Reyes is on the field. Had opportunities to win game last night and couldn’t get the ball out of the infield. And McNeal was on the bench. If we are evaluating our talent we already know that Reyes sucks.

    • Michael

      A foot higher on Reyes’ line drive to short and you wouldn’t be posting that.

  • Eric Bloom

    Giants first run did not clank off rosarios glove. Fluke popup fell in due to an over shift.

  • Michael

    “What the hell is a yellow tango?” That said, I feel sorry for Smith. His batting this year or last year alone shows he is not MLB ready. He has been in Callaway’s doghouse since spring training and doesn’t seem it is going to change. He’d be better off at AAA, hopefully put up some numbers and then dealt to another organization for a fresh start.

    • Madman

      Smith will be traded, part of a package. Hopefully for a CFer who cover the position.

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