After the Braves tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, Tomas Nido hit a homer with two outs in the ninth to put the Mets ahead for good, leading to a 4-3 win over the Braves Tuesday night in Atlanta.
It was the second straight start for Nido, who had three hits Monday night. Batting fifth because of all of the injuries to the team, Nido was hitless coming into the ninth inning but hit the ball hard two of his previous trips to the plate with nothing to show for it. But in his final at-bat, Nido turned on a 93 mph fastball left in the middle of the plate, sending it three rows past the fence.
Edwin Diaz, pitching in his third straight game, had a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts to earn his seventh save of the year. Diaz was the seventh pitcher of the game for the Mets, who had another bullpen day. Miguel Castro started and was dominant in his one inning. Tommy Hunter also threw two scoreless innings. Jeurys Familia was credited with the win, and while no runs were on his record, he allowed an inherited runner to score, setting the stage for Nido’s heroics.
Jonathan Villar gave the Mets a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the third inning.
Mets pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts. The struggling Braves seem like the Mets of recent vintage, seemingly able to score only on homers. After a homer accounted for the only run in the opener of the series, two of their three runs came via the homer, with all three HR being solo shots.
Mets starting to germinate… who’da thunk it would start on the bench?
Villar looking comfortable, Peraza a brilliant infielder, and Dom Smith the grizzled veteran in the OF. Love all that speed out there.
Nido making his move… I believe it will force McCann to play better when he does. Never saw Diaz look as relaxed as he did tonight. Is Tommy Hunter the new Bartolo?
This team is getting fun to watch!
Familia got Freeman to hit into the dp then shattered ozuna s bat. The ball somehow found its way over the infield allowing the tying run to score. Even Gare was like come on!!
Eh, that’s nothing.
I was playing stickball against a friend of my older brother. You know, cut off broom handle for a bat, tennis ball and a strike zone spray painted on a wall at the school. Last inning, up a run, two outs and he has a runner on base. Throw the ball hard as I can and break the bat – with a tennis ball! – and he hits it over the fence for a home run.
Remember it like it was yesterday but it was 40-something years ago.
that sounds like a formative event – not surprised it’s a crystal clear memory.
It’s clear my role in the comments section this season will be as the Familia defender.
If I was Nido, I’d be a bit p*ssed at the Mets organization. Why? Here’s a guy who could never hit except in the very small sample that was him in 2020. Never mind that he’s always been acknowledged as a good defender. He’s never been viewed as anything but a back-up.
Then there’s McCann…..who until 2020, was a non hitting and bad fielding catcher who did very well in both departments in the year of Covid. Despite the abbreviated sample size that was 2020, the Mets believe that he’s the real deal and gives him 40 million. And Nido gets what….close to league minimum?
So why did the Mets believe in McCann and not in Nido? Wishful thinking?
Here’s hoping that Nido has a better year then McCann, and cashes in with another organization when the time comes.*
* Yes, I realize that poor Nido has awhile before he can be eligible for free-agency.
Gut Reaction: They reach the magic number…..4…. and won.
Nido, with his career .598 OPS, was clutch delivering the game winning homerun.
Villar also contributing subbing for Davis. Rojas was masterful at the bullpen game. They won the series against a division rival with the chance to sweep. Nice job.
If Rojas wasn’t going to use Lucchesi then why didn’t Scott replace him with Yamamoto? The bullpen game worked but it depleted the bullpen for the next game. Not using a “bulk” pitcher stresses the bullpen. I am curious how this works out.
Wondering abt Yamamoto as well.
I also think Nido has been short-changed. Yes, he struggled big-time with sporadic ABs, but he has considerable hitting success in his past, and they are paid to know these things. I always liked him defensively, especially in contrast to Ramos.
But whatever, Nido has finally made some noise when they really needed it. I think his rise could spur McCann to play better, too. He’d hate to lose his role with the ink still wet on his gaudy contract… embarrassing… always a great motivator. But I’ve wanted Nido to play more for two seasons now, and finally we might see it.
Meanwhile, Peraza is terrific infielder and makes consistently solid contact… hard to ignore. I love his glove.