Rick Porcello gave the Mets their best performance from a starting pitcher since their day off but the bats took the night off, resulting in a 2-1 loss to the Nationals Tuesday night.
Porcello gave up a run in each of the first two innings but settled in to go six innings on the night. In his last two starts, Porcello has delivered 13 IP, 3 ER, 0 BB and 9 Ks. Those kind of results from him are a welcome sight, especially after what he gave the Mets in his first two starts of the season.
The Mets’ only run came on a triple by Andres Gimenez and a sac fly by Luis Guillorme, the team’s double play combo for the night. It was the third extra-base hit of the year for Gimenez in 41 ABs, the same total Amed Rosario has in 58. Guillorme had two hits in the game and now is batting .333 in his last 36 ABs dating back to last year.
Jared Hughes (2 IP) and Edwin Diaz combined for three scoreless innings. Hughes has allowed just 1 H in 5.2 IP and hasn’t allowed a run in his brief Mets career.
So this was about the most enjoyable loss I’ve seen in some time. It felt more like a win that a loss. Ok who knows about the hitting on this team, but credit is due, again, to Gimenez stretching a triple out of what looked like a double, then scoring – unchallenged – on a sac fly to LF. But what really shown brightly was another stellar day in the field by Gimenez. He and Guillorme turned 2 DPs on Trey Turner, for the first time ever in Turners career. Both times credit goes to Guillorme for clean fielding aNd nice underhand feeds to 2B where Giménez was perfectly position to take the feed on the base, seamlessly move off the base to avoid the runner, and show off his 60/80 grade arm with perfect strikes to Smith. He also had a superb diving stop in the hole followed by an excellent throw to first *and* on a pop up in 3rd base foul ground ran like a scalded demon from deep SS to nab the fly for an out. Who knows where this all leads for Giménez, but right now this guy is one of the real bright lights on this team and joy to watch every day.
Amed, those Foot steps you hear behind you are coming much faster than you think…
Amed is good as gone if this kid continues… Also, Guillorme’s success may allow the Mets to consider moving Cano (LOL)…
Gut reaction: The Mets keystone cops were replaced by G-man.
Rosario and Cano were replaced by Gimenez and Guillorme and the defense was put in order.
Now the Mets need a “ hit man” in order To score RISP