The unheralded players came thru for the Mets on Thursday.
Trevor Williams pitched seven shutout innings while James McCann and J.D. Davis both delivered homers with men on base, leading the Mets to a 10-0 win over the Marlins in the opener of a four-game series.
Williams gave up just two hits and did not walk a batter, retiring 13 in a row and 14 if you count the batter who singled and was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.
While Williams was starring on the mound, the hitters put up three crooked numbers on the scoreboard. They had 12 hits and went 5-10 with RISP. Davis and Brandon Nimmo both doubled in the third inning, leading to the Mets’ first run. And then the fun really started.
Davis had an RBI single in the fourth inning and later came round to score on McCann’s 3-run homer. In the fifth inning, the Mets again scored four runs, thanks to a grand slam by Davis.
During the broadcast, Gary Cohen talked about how the analytics staff will point out good matchups for hitters. The Marlins started a lefty who wasn’t overpowering and didn’t pitch up in the zone, which made it a good matchup for Davis. His homer came on a breaking ball low in the zone.
Recently recalled Jeff Reed closed the game out with two scoreless innings, giving the Mets their 12th shutout of the season and increasing their season-long run differential to +74.
And what a catch from Nimmo! Last year that’s a double and the start of the fish filleting us. Hope this game serves as a wake up to those whose bats have not been consistent and that they understand that they need to keep contributing to the success of a playoff bound team or end up as part of another’s rebuilding process. It’s up to them.
Gee, the Cardinals actually won a game in Atlanta… After losing the first three games, they had to go 11 innings to squeeze out a win in the fourth game. Now the Braves get the Nats.
Meanwhile, the good guys did what they should. Time to start doing more of it. Seems the Mets lately have gotten away from making contact and advancing base runners. Hoping they go back to that. Too, getting McCannon, Davis and Smith hitting is a needed effect for the lineup. I just have no confidence in Escobar as he is a career 96 RC+ hitter, who is at 94 RC+ now, according to Fangraphs. We may see some spurts, but he should just bat 7th or 8th and play good defense.
Speaking of Escobar, as I looked him up at Fangraphs tonight, I realized he used to be on the Twins! Then, I remembered that the Twins offered him to the Mets for a pitcher but I can’t recall the details. Can anyone?
It was Gee in 2015. Flores, your buddy , and Tejada was the starting shortstops for that team. Gee couldn’t crack the starting rotation that year. I still can’t figure out why the Mets didn’t make that trade.
Great memory Metsense! Thank you! Wasn’t Gee released in June? Ahh, the Wilponian Mets! Tender d’Arnaud but cut him in the first month anyway as he is coming back from i jury.
Gut Reaction: Williams pitched a gem. He could have pitched a complete shutout. I was hoping that he was going to get a chance because of his low pitch count and the 10 run lead. Williams could be a fifth starter for many teams in Major League Baseball. He fits his role well with the Mets. I’m glad that they have him.
The catcher and DH position contributed eight RBIs. Any offense from those positions in a relieve for the rest of the lineup and it enhance the lineup. That is why they should obtain another bat for either one of those positions. LGM
The way that they were playing, what were the odds of McCann and Davis both hitting home runs in a game.
Pete needs to stop thinking about the home run derby and start thinking how to get off of being stuck on 22.