The Mets defeated the Braves tonight 1-0 at Turner Field to move within two games of the Nationals for first place in the NL East.
- Poor Jacob deGrom. It’s ten starts now that he hasn’t had a W. He went eight innings in this one while giving up no runs and striking out six. Maybe next time, Jacob.
- What happens when two of the lowest scoring teams in baseball meet head-on? Not scoring for ten innings, for one thing. Sixteen strikeouts between them, for another. To be fair, both starting pitchers had great games.
- What’s a Met game without some bonehead plays? Yoenis Cespedes failed to slide into second base in the third inning while trying to stretch a hit into a double. Could have been a health issue, though. In the top of the tenth inning, Alejandro De Aza popped a bunt up to the pitcher while trying to get a sac down. He failed to run to first out of the box, leading the pitcher to purposely let the ball fall and turn it into a double play.
- On the flip side, the team flashed some nice leather in this one. Wilmer Flores made a nice grab on a challenging hop to end a bases-loaded threat in the sixth. Curtis Granderson made a great sliding catch at the foul line to end the bottom of the ninth and send the game into extras. Jeurys Familia, going for his 26th save, fielded a fierce comebacker and turned it into the game-ending double play.
- Pinch hitter Kelly Johnson pulled an inside fastball and deposited it over the right field wall in the top of the eleventh to give the Mets a 1-0 lead and ultimately the win.
Homer Ball beats small ball again! 🙂
Actually the pitching is carrying the Mets this season. The Magic # is 4. When the Mets score four runs or more they are 29-6. (JDG would be satisfied if they scored four runs in a month for him!). Getting to four runs, which is less than league average, should be their goal. Cabrera’s bunt against the shift was a good start but proved fruitless. The Mets need to take anything that the other team is willing to give, score first, and let their pitching exhale as they tighten the screws. This is why Reyes may be a difference maker. I hope so.
I can’t blame Cespedes for his not sliding. It aggravates the hip and they can’t afford to lose his bat. He is just following orders which publically makes him look foolish. Yes, he is a Strawberry like player even when healthy.
DeAza has no excuse on the bunt but TC, a real players manager now, gracefully excused him. I don’t think DeAza will do it again.
Two Out, only two out! LGM
This felt like a game they would lose.
Those are the best ones to win.