The movie title that best sums up this game is “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” There was plenty of good despite the loss dropping us back to .500. Noah Syndergaard pitched his butt off, striking out 10 in gutty 7-inning, 114-pitch outing. Neil Walker golfed a low curve ball for a 3-run home run. Michael Conforto had a tremendous game with two hits and two dazzling catches. Jeurys Familia returned to the mound to pitch a scoreless albeit shaky inning. Travis d’Arnaud emerged from the dugout to pinch hit, showing that his latest injury is nothing serious. Jay Bruce filled in admirably at first base.
These efforts were spoiled by three errors in the field that cost us two unearned runs. Syndergaard wasn’t flawless either allowing doubles to most of the bottom of the Phillies order. Fernando Salas coughed up a home run on the first pitch he threw to Mets killer Maikel Franco. The Mets managed to get some runners on base tonight but couldn’t bring enough of them home.
On the ugly side, Yoenis Cespedes left the game with a hamstring cramp. Hopefully, it’s of the minor Matt Harvey variety as the team is already coping with new injuries to Lucas Duda (hyperextended left elbow) and Wilmer Flores (knee infection), on top of older injuries to Brandon Nimmo (hamstring), David Wright (shoulder, back), Steven Matz (elbow) and Seth Lugo (elbow).
Tomorrow, this struggling MASH unit will welcome the Nationals to Citi Field for a key three-game series. As good a time as any to get things back on track.
I didn’t see the 2nd inning, so not sure how the error there played out but neither of the runs would have scored in the third inning if Cabrera would have bent over far enough to field the tailor-made double play ball.
Josh Edgin sure did a nice job against three batters where he didn’t have the platoon advantage.
Happily surprised to see Syndergaard pitch the 7th inning. Nice job of letting him go past 100 pitches but not into 120 territory. Would have preferred not letting Familia throw 30 pitches in his first outing back, though.
The defense failed them last night. The the eye test has Conforto passing as a center fielder which does not bode well for the frigid April hitting of Granderson except that with Cespedes injured he will continue to get an opportunity to warm up.
Familia’s 31 pitch tune up seemed excessive in a losing 6-4 game with the first place team coming to town. Salas looks like he has been burned out also.
8-8, 10% of the schedule played, and they have spotted the Nats a 2.5 game lead. They are very capable of taking this series as home. LGM
Especially with 2 of the Big 3 starting against the Nats, but they’re going to need offense and if Cespedes is out for the weekend…
Without Flores, Wright or Cespedes in the lineup, not sure how we’ll do against Gio Gonzalez.
deGrom’s start pushed back. Bring up Rosario.