Pete Alonso set the Mets’ all-time record for RBIs in a season as part of a monster day, leading the Mets to a 13-4 win over the A’s Sunday afternoon in Oakland. It was the Mets’ 97th win of the season, tying the 1999 and 2006 squads for the fifth-most wins in franchise history.
Alonso had a four-hit game, which started with an infield single to lead off the second inning. He later scored the game’s first run on a single by Tyler Naquin. Alonso set the club’s record for RBIs in the fourth when he absolutely crushed a two-run homer, giving him 125 RBIs. Alonso also singled in the sixth and hit a three-run double in the eighth that gave the Mets an 11-1 lead and upped his RBI total to 128.
During the game, Gary Cohen noted that Alonso was one of only two players who held his franchise’s lead in both HR and RBIs, as his 53 HR in 2019 is the best mark for the Mets. Giancarlo Stanton holds both marks for the Marlins.
The Mets had seven players with multi-hit games, as they tied a season-high with 19 hits. In addition to Alonso, Francisco Lindor and Eduardo Escobar each had three hits, while Brandon Nimmo, Mark Canha, Naquin and Tomas Nido each had two. If you thought it was disappointing that Darin Ruf got the start over Mark Vientos, it was even more disappointing that Ruf took the collar, going 0-4 with a walk.
Max Scherzer was the beneficiary of the output and he recorded his 11th win of the season with an outing where he gave up just 1 ER in 6 IP. Adam Ottavino and Drew Smith followed with scoreless innings. Seth Lugo came on in the ninth and served up a 3-run homer, the third time in his last six appearances where he’s given up a gopher ball.
Gut Reaction: Another series win. Alonso is the quintessential clean up batter. He has power and drives in runs. Congratulations to him. Vientos should have started instead of Ruf.
Smith pitched a scoreless inning n thefor the playoffs roster sweepstakes.
1.5 lead and they’re playing the same teams as the Braves in last three series of the season. The division is theirs for a taking for the Mets . LGM
A great win with the Mets clicking on all cylinders, except for the surprising Ruf start over Vientos, who had just had an excellent day at the dish the previous day. I understand that Buck likes to stick with the vets, thinking that they will revert to their track records. And that worked out well with Escobar. But for this game, his decision was a head scratcher.
What an explosion of runs yesterday. Wonder where those bats were on Saturday. Braves of course win another in extra innings but that is to be expected as they are a good team. Their pitching matchups gets a little dicey this week due some injuries, something we have had to face all year. You are right Metsense, it is theirs for the taking if we just step up and keep the bats going. It will be interesting to see how the Atlanta series comes together as they are expecting the remnants of a hurricane that threatens the entire series. Back in 2008 MLB moved a series to a neutral site to get the games in and given that there is no time to make up the games, this might need to be done. That would only help us and take the home fans out of the game. Still wondering where Dom Smith is and why he is nit on the roster. Assume Gore will not make the postseason. As they can’t afford not to carry a real bat. In the meantime waiting on Aaron Judge to hit some HRs. Not a Mets story but baseball history nonetheless for someone who is arguably having one of the best seasons of our lifetime. To lead in basically every offensive category in an age where you face multiple multiple pitchers and late game relievers who throw 98MPH his performance is incredible. But back to the work at hand. Nice to have two days off this week. That should help get Marte back on the field. LGM
Waiting for Dominic Smith to return at this point is like waiting at a bus stop with no shelter in a pouring down rain. It’s not coming anytime soon and just thinking about it angers the gods and they add more time to the eventual arrival.
Smith simply has no place on this team. Vogelbach has a 140 OPS+ and no lefty batter is taking time away from him. Naquin has delivered the XBH that Dom failed to do and he’s a significantly better OF, too. And Guillorme’s versatility and defensive excellence make him a much better fit for the roster.
If Dom batted righty, there would be a case for him. They just simply don’t need a LHB at this point.
I honestly dont see the hope for Smith. He’s been gone for so long that hanging on to his BABIP fueled short-season run seems like were talking about a different person. He will never play 1B on the Mets. He stinks as an outfielder. He is wildly inconsistent at the plate and hooked exclusively to an unsustainable BABIP to be successful.
Hes never going to play for the Mets again. If ever there was a person that needed a change of scenery its Smith, where he can get a job playing 1B.
Vogelbach has a 140+ OPS as a Met, overall 124 OPS+ this year, 29 years old and has a team option in 2023 of $1 m. He is one dimensional but he is good at that one dimension . He is inexpensive also.
Dom Smith has failed in the last two seasons. He is Arb Eligible in 2023 and he is paid $4 m. In 2023 he will have no minor options left. Therefore he has no value and he Mets don’t have a roster spot for him. The prudent decision is to non- tender him. I like Dom and I him luck.
Dont be so sure on Gore. Dave Roberts changed the tide of the 2004 series with the Yankees beciase of his speed and the specific talent of stealing bases and taking extra bases. It led to a WS win. Just recently Gore came in – stole second, advanced to third on the throw and scored go ahead or game winner a couple minutes later. In October things are different and having someone that can make a difference as a disruptor on the bases can be very useful.
Playoff baseball is just so doifferent. Just ask the Diodgers, the team that cant stop winning all season long, until the post season.
The Mets made it a beautiful afternoon, but while Lugo was giving up the homerun, I was cheering on the Phillies. So, the great pickup David Robertson is on the mound with the bases loaded and two outs after striking out Grossman, and with two strikes spikes a fifty foot curve ball by the lefty batter’s feet that the catcher had no chance to block: tying run scored. The Phils had first and second with no outs in the tenth, but Bohm struck out and Segura hit into a DP. That was it.
The Mets have their best pitchers lined up for Atlanta next weekend! LGM!