It took 12
innings, dueling bullpens, waiting out missed opportunities and overcoming a few umpire calls that didn’t go their way, but the Mets prevailed 5-3 over the Atlanta Braves. The big hit came courtesy of a Yoenis Cespedes RBI single in the top of the 12th inning. The go-ahead run was scored by you’d-never-have-guessed it Robert Gsellman, who was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. The gutsy converted reliever also earned the win with two scoreless extra innings. Asdrubal Cabrera gave the Mets an insurance run with a double off the wall that scored Cespedes. Jeurys Familia closed it out with a rare 1-2-3 inning for his league leading eighth save.
The Mets pulled out this win despite some of their key hitters, including Jay Bruce (1 for 5 with a bloop hit), Cespedes (four strikeouts) and Michael Conforto (0 for 4), remaining mired in slumps and making the Braves pitchers look like it’s the 1990s again. Though they failed to hit anything over the wall, Mets did manage to draw six walks and hit five doubles, including two apiece for Cabrera and Amed Rosario, but again struggled to get the big hit with runners in scoring position all night until the 12th inning.
Noah Syndergaard started and delivered another good, but not great outing, surrendering three runs in six innings. Syndergaard struck out six and walked none, but was less than dominating against a Braves lineup that managed seven hits, including a home run and two doubles. Seth Lugo, AJ Ramos and Gsellman held the Braves in check for five sterling relief innings, before giving way to Familia.
Unsung heroes include Wilmer Flores, who delivered two hits and Tomas Nido who threw out two would-be base stealers. The series continues in Atlanta tomorrow night with Jacob deGrom taking on Julio Teheran.
Gut Reaction: Bruce is in one of the worst slumps of his career and it appears his plantar fasciitis is also effecting his play in the field where he misplayed a fly ball that sailed over his head. Given his struggles and how well both Brandon Nimmo and Juan Lagares have been playing, putting Bruce on the DL might be the smart play.
I agree that Bruce needs to be on the current disabled list . Planter Fascitis is very painful but will heal if Bruce is not forced to run, play the field, or bat until his foot is fully healed. I have planter so I know how painful it is, and how long it takes to recover. Bruce on the DL makes sense especially since he has had this issue since spring, and he may have possibly re-aggrevated it. Nimmo and Lagares are both hitting so having them play CF while moving Conforto to RF makes a lot of sense. Conforto does ok in CF but he is really too slow to be as effective as Lagares and Nimmo at this position. I still disagree with Sandy catching problem and Nido can and does throw runner out but Lobaton cannot throw although he catches the ball well. Nido may not hit but his arm is pretty good so having him catch while batting 200 makes more sense than having Lobaton catch while hitting 070. Correct? If Sandy does not want to trade then he needs to send Lobaton back to AAA/Vegas, and bring up another good throwing catcher, Colton Plaia who also can’t hit but throws really well, and plays a good defensive game.
Syndergaard pitched good, but not great.The bullpen pitched great. Familia ending.
Going forward into the season, the middle relievers of Gsellman, Lugo, Sewald and the demoted 5th starter should be used to cover two innings when they enter a game. It could save the bullpen.
The Mets are not hitting except Cabrera and Frazier (and Flores when he plays). Bruce, who has a physical problem, should he rested (disabled) so that he can regain his health. 14-5 Wow.
Conforto, Cespedes and Bruce have been miserable at the plate. Would like to see just one of them get going. With the exception of the GS against the Nats, Cespedes’ lack of power has been alarming.
It’s disappointing that the Mets needed both Lugo and Gsellman pitching in a game started by Syndergaard. The Mets could use a long outing by deGrom tonight.
It was nice to see Nido throw out two runners. But I guess it should be noted that one of this throws bounced to second base and the other one came on a pitch-out. But beggars can’t be choosers.
The one that bounced was on the pitch out.
Sorry, you’re wrong.
Seventh inning was the bounced throw that got Flaherty on the strike ’em out, throw ’em out DP
Eighth inning was the pitch-out that nailed Albies.
I give Syndergaard more credit than what his final numbers indicate. 2 of the 3 runs on his ledger were the direct result of misplays by the Mets. The second run scored on the ball which sailed over Bruce’s head (should have been the final out of the inning). The final run charged to him was scored by Markakis after Cabrera missed the throw at second from Cespedes, on which he was out by five feet. Clearly, those two runs were tough luck for Syndergaard.
I’m still waiting for Conforto to pull something — anything!!!! Everything he hits is to left field. I only recall him hitting one ball to right (or even center) field — a weak grounder through the shift a couple weeks ago at Citifield. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like this from a left handed batter. No doubt, his timing is way off and I hope it is only from a lack of Spring Training and not in some way related to his shoulder.
Why in the world was Juan Lagares not in the starting lineup with a left handed starter for the Braves? I watched the game on the Braves network, and their crew never addressed the issue.