The Mets jumped on top early with a three-run first inning, built a 9-run lead and coasted to a 10-4 win over the Marlins Friday night in the first game played between the division rivals this year.
Francisco Lindor got the party started with a 3-run homer to center field. He also drove in a run with the first of his two HBP and made several nice plays in the field.
Pete Alonso hit a grand slam as part of a 7-run sixth inning which put the game away. He now has 63 RBIs for the year.
Carlos Carrasco was the recipient of the offensive explosion and he pitched into the seventh inning en route to raising his record to 8-2.
Earlier, the Braves saw their 14-game win streak snapped so with the victory, the Mets extended their lead to 5.5 games. New York has won four of its last five games and is now 9-6 in the month of June.
Sure is nice to coast to an easy victory, and it sure feels good to send a message to the Marlins that this isn’t the same team they knew the last two seasons. The Met have a way of grinding that is an ordeal for opposing pitchers. For about a week now the Mets have gotten runners on early and have had varying degrees of success. Thanks to Lindor today, they cashed in early, and Alonso cashed in late to put this one out of reach.
Poor Guillorme finally hit a ball deep and got robbed of extra bases and at least one RBI by the umpires. One could say that the mysterious injury to Escobar opened the door, but Luis looks like a starting infielder these days, giving Buck an extra option. Mets are very fluid defensively. Playing Escobar at 1B once in a while provides an all LH infield!
Let’s hope Taijuan can give another stellar effort.
Feels good to increase our division lead.
It’s ironic that the division race was mentioned by both previous commenters. I wanted to touch upon it but upon asking myself why, it seems to me I have becomes accustomed to the winning and expect it. In fact, less than 3-1 this weekend would be a disappointment. My only problem is Monday’s starter and I hope the Mets stay away from Peterson. Enough. But if he starts, 18 batters (at most!) and he is out unless he is pitching a perfect game or it’s a lopsided score, in which case we can take it hitter by hitter.
If I were a Braves fan, I could look at the 14 game winning streak and call it a market correction for the hard luck from earlier in the year, but it’s hard to expect these types of winning streaks and sure enough, they lost a tough one tonight. As a Mets fan, I look at the Braves recent history as a short term mirage that will see its reality in July. If they survive July, then I’ll notice. After all, Philadelphia went to LA and swept the Dodgers. So did Pittsburgh.
Gut Reaction: it was a comfortable, easy victory that’s started with the home run by Lindor and ended with the Grand Slam by Alonso and sandwich by three other runs.
Carrasco was efficient and gave the team length. Ottavino had another scoreless outing again.
In Atlanta there was panic. They lost and the Phillies won their fourth straight and are breathing on the Braves neck for the sixth playoff spot. I’m glad to be a Mets fan with the best record in the NL, a sizeable lead with no worries and looking forward when Scherzer and deGrom are back. Life is good! LGM
PS I heard that the Mayor of Panic City has relocated to Atlanta. This that true Chris?
Not sure if discounting Atlanta is hubris or false confidence, but what exactly would lead one to think that they are not as good as their recent results indicate? They are that good!
They have a superior infield, Acuna and Co in the OF, a plus-offense performer at catcher, and a superior pitching staff. They are easily in the top five in the NL and the defensing champs. They took care of business against a soft schedule, but that’s what great teams do.
No no… the Braves are for real and not going away. Both teams likely to win 100 games. Phillies 90.
Their winning streak came against teams equivalent to a 98-loss team. It’s not easy to win as many games as they did, even given their poor winning percentage so kudos to them.
But the Braves are under .500 against teams with a winning record. Until they start beating the good teams, we are justified being skeptical of them, even while keeping their 88-win season last year in the front of our minds.