The Mets rallied from three runs down to take a four-run lead and held on for a 7-6 win over the Braves Sunday night in Citi Field. The win allowed them to avoid a four-game sweep.
The Mets used a six-run fifth inning to build a 7-3 lead. The Mets sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, one that featured four hits, three walks and a catcher’s interference. All four hits were singles, with the big one being a two-RBI hit by Rafael Ortega.
Kodai Senga started for the Mets and was jumped for three runs in the first inning. But he settled down after that to tame the Braves over the next five innings. A high pitch count in both the first and sixth innings kept him from going further in the game. And as they’ve done all series, the Mets’ pen gave up runs.
Grant Hartwig gave up a solo homer in the seventh inning and Brooks Raley came on with a runner on base and served up a two-run shot in the eighth. Drew Smith bailed out Raley to finish the eighth and Adam Ottavino had a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his seventh save of the year.
Jeff McNeil and Ortega had three hits apiece to lead the Mets’ 10-hit attack. Brandon Nimmo had two hits while Mark Vientos had a double and a walk. Pete Alonso made several nice defensive plays and just missed a two-run homer in the first inning, with a ball that landed about a foot foul. Later in the game, ESPN showed a Statcast graphic that said the wind blew Alonso’s hit two feet foul, costing him a homer.
I heard the whole game on radio as I was doing some paperwork at home and didn’t see the claim that the wind blew it foul. That’s interesting even if I’m skeptical. Can someone tell me about what inning ESPN said that so I can go see the archive and see that for myself?
As for this very exciting win:
-Brian, you really expect us to believe that you thought Buck would let a starting pitcher go into the seventh inning? Really Brian? Seriously though, Senga is approaching an innings pitched watch.
-The radio side interviewed Ortega after the game as their player of the game and he was very appreciative of the Mets giving him a chance. He said that injuries have been a hinderance in the past but he’s in the best shape of his life and healthy for the first time in a while and looking forward to this opportunity to finish strong and show the team what he can do.
-Vientos has a two game hitting streak and may be turning things around, but that 33% K-rate is unacceptable. While Buck has praised his improvement at third base through help from Lindor (after mocking it last year because, well, Buck actually played in over 100 games in a year twice during his minor league career with the Evil Empire), Vientos is known for his bat and he needs to get going.
-Alonso made a few very impressive defensive plays tonight and his focus on both sides has been better since late July.
Senga had 85 pitches thru 5 IP and had thrown 51 in innings 2-5. If he had a quick sixth, it’s certainly possible given the state of the bullpen that Buck would have let him had the seventh, too. He’s pitched into the 7th four times previously.
Nothing’s going to change with Vientos until he stops falling behind in the count 0-2 or 1-2 so often. Don’t know if he’s being too passive and watching strikes or expanding the zone. But 37 times in 112 ABs he started out 0-2. That’s not good.
Not sure when ESPN showed the Alonso/wind graphic. It wasn’t right away. My guess is middle innings. I’d check the fifth and sixth.
Gut Reaction: it was a fortunate offense that scored six runs in the inning. The bullpen try to cough it up but held on for the win. Senga is the ace of the staff and persevere with 107 pitches against a high power offense.
Since July 20th, McNeil has raised his OPS from 642 to 677. If he can trend upward this way for the rest of the season then he might salvage his season.
Vientos peaked at 626 OPS in July 29th and has now tumbled to 545 OPS. That is not how to secure a major league roster position next year.