The Brewers gifted the Mets the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning and got a runner thrown out at the plate in the top of the ninth, handing the Mets a 5-4 win Thursday night at Citi Field. With the win, the Mets take the series and pick up a half game on the idle Braves.
The Mets rallied back from a 4-1 deficit to tie the game in the middle innings. J.D. Davis led off the eighth inning with a single and Luis Guillorme followed with a potential double play ball. But the Brewer first baseman threw wildly to second, allowing Davis to scamper over to third base. Buck Showalter than pinch ran for Davis with Starling Marte, whose hand was in a wrap and was on the bench, unable to throw or hit.
The Brewers brought the infield in, trying to choke off the go-ahead run at third base. After Tomas Nido struck out, Nick Plummer hit another ball to the first baseman, Marte did not break, which seemed odd given that he was in the game to win it with his legs. It turned out to be a blessing, as the Brewers were unable to turn a DP, getting just the force at second – and barely that. Meanwhile, once the throw went to second, Marte sprinted home to make it 5-4 Mets.
In the ninth inning, the Brewers got a leadoff single. One out later, a pinch hitter dumped the ball into shallow right field. Plummer didn’t exactly make a great play on it and the third base coach waved the runner home. Plummer didn’t even throw the ball home, hitting cutoff man Pete Alonso, instead. Alonso’s throw was up the line but at least it was on the fly, which allowed Nido to tag the runner out in the head for the second out of the inning. Edwin Diaz struck out Christian Yelich to end the game.
It was a curious play to send the runner, Hunter Renfroe, who is listed at 230 pounds at ESPN and a guy not known for his speed. If they hold him, they have runners at second and third with just one out, with the top of the order coming up. There are times to be aggressive. But the combination of a not very fast runner, along with the first-place hitter coming to bat, made this one a time to err on the side of caution. Lucky for the Mets that the third base coach felt differently.
The Mets jumped out to a 1-0 lead but then things fell apart in the fourth inning. Tylor Megill, who looked very good the first three innings, gave up a homer to Yelich and then loaded the bases. And then he hurt his shoulder and was removed from the game. Chasen Shreve allowed all three inherited runners to score, putting the Mets in a 4-1 hole.
The Mets had a scratch run in the bottom of the fourth inning and then Mark Canha tied it with a two-run homer in the fifth.
Seth Lugo looked perhaps the best he has all season, as he pitched two scoreless innings with four strikeouts, allowing just an infield single. Drew Smith followed up with another scoreless inning and earned his first win of the year, while Diaz was credited with his 13th save of the season
19-4 after a loss. Gotta win some like tonight.
This is the game that the Mets would usually lose most of the seasons I’ve been watching them. The inability to make the right play at the crucial moment. And yet, even when they screw up: Guillorme gets nailed at third for the third out; Marte does not break off third, a numbskull move, the Brewers somehow did worse. The errant throw from Tellez that set the Mets up for the winning run, and his second play that allowed Marte to score both were plays that good teams execute.
Just dumb luck for the Mets but also a great game for the bullpen, throwing 5+ innings of zeros. Huge AB for Canha… the guy’s a professional player who concentrates.
I was especially glad to see Buck put Canha up front and Nimmo in the #2 spot. It shows me that Buck is open to all the possibilities. To write in Nimmo’s name in the same spot everyday, regardless of matchups and unique situations, takes no particular managerial talent. Canha is capable to lead off, as is Nimmo, as is McNeil, as is LuisG, as is Marte.
Megill… oh god. So much talent, so much promise. Hope he can get back… shoulders are tough… next man up.
Wobbit, I would agree with you that Marte should have taken off on contact, but a few things are happening simultaneously, and he is reading the situation. First, the first baseman moving to his right means there is no one covering first so there can’t be a double play. Second, he may have been trying to dupe the first baseman into holding the ball too long and he was almost successful! But three, he knew that if the first baseman throws to second, he will walk home, and he was right. It appears Marte has extraordinary base running instincts that are hardly ever wrong, along with plus speed and over a decade of baseball experience and savvy. JD Davis is probably gunned down at the plate, so Showalter gets points for this one to make up for yesterday’s head scratching pitching moves.
Gut reaction maybe it was luck or a poor decision. Or was it a good team beating an inferior opponent. Diaz strikes out almost 50% of his batters so the Brewers gambled and lost. Plummer hit the cutoff man and the cutoff man what is prepared for the situation. That’s good baseball.
Showalter pinch runs for Davis with Marte. Marte read the play. That’s smart baseball by the manager and the player.
Good, prepared teams, force teams to make mistakes and then capitalize those mistakes. The Mets are a good team.
The injury to Megill is disheartening. He has such promise.
3-1 against the Marlins and it will be hey 5-2 home stand. LGM
7-6 since going to the west coast, the start of the tougher schedule. Past Mets team would have crumbled. This team needs to stay afloat and then get healthy… humm through the summer, gear up for October.