The Mets put up a six-spot in the first inning but had to sweat out the ninth before emerging with an 8-7 win on Sunday and a sweep of the Pirates. The Mets are riding a four-game winning streak and are now 10-5 since the All-Star break, their best 15-game stretch of the 2019 season.
Michael Conforto gave the Mets the early lead with a two-run homer. Later in the first inning, Todd Frazier, J.D. Davis and Amed Rosario delivered consecutive RBI singles. A sacrifice fly brought home the final run of the inning. Later on they tacked on two unearned runs which proved to be the difference in the game.
Jason Vargas was the recipient of the offensive outburst. Vargas, who threw six innings of one-hit ball his last time out and had a 1.38 ERA in seven previous Citi Field starts, was not as sharp as he had been previously, but pitched well enough to earn his sixth win of the season. It was the fourth consecutive win by a Mets starting pitcher, something the club hadn’t done since 2017.
Tyler Bashlor and Edwin Diaz allowed four runs in the ninth, two of which came on a gopher ball served up by Diaz. But the Mets’ closer settled down to get the final two outs of the game.
Love the roll we are on but caution against believing we are 2019 contenders. Let’s move the expiring contracts and wait till the offseason to explore Thor and Ramos playing elsewhere. Still believe in Diaz although the gopher ball in the 9th almost had me reaching for Rolaids.
If we can’t get much for Vargas then we
can pick up his cheap option for 2020. He has certainly been the best #5 starter in baseball this year.
Got reaction: ” The Pirates of the Ineptitude” but I sweep is a sweep!
Vargas had a serviceable game and has pitched very well this season. Rumors have it that he is wanted by contenders. He is not the future for the Mets so they should try to cash him in.
Also in the rumor mill is Edwin Diaz. The Mets have him on the table. To me it seems that the Mets have lost confidence in him and want to move him. He has not been the lights out closer that they traded for. There is no way that the Mets get what the Mets gave up. Today was just another chapter in his continued regression.
Finally, the Mets pitching has finally come around. The booth eluded that the new pitching coach was the reason. Very interesting.