Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso both homered and drove in three runs to power the Mets to a 7-5 win over the Cardinals Tuesday night in St. Louis. The Mets clinched the series win and won back-to-back games for the first time since they won their sixth straight game on April 20.
The Mets exploded for six runs in the fifth inning. Jeff McNeil led off with a squib hit and Tomas Nido followed with a bullet to third base that multi-time Gold Glover Nolan Arenado was unable to handle. Nimmo followed with a bomb to center field that traveled 440 feet, which tied the game 3-3. Starling Marte doubled, Francisco Lindor singled to put runners on the corners and Alonso broke out of his slump with a two-run double. Alonso came round to score on a hit by J.D. Martinez.
The big inning made a winner out of Jose Butto, who gave up three runs in the first inning but who settled down to follow with four shutout frames. It was a bit of a roller coaster ride, as the Mets needed five relievers to close out the game. After pitching in back-to-back days, Edwin Diaz was unavailable. The Mets turned to Adam Ottavino to close things out, sending him to the mound for the third time in four days.
Ottavino was not sharp. He gave up a one-out, solo homer and then put the next two batters on base with a single and a walk. But he struck out slumping Paul Goldschmidt and then got Alec Burleson, who had three hits and a homer, to fan to end the game.
It was another big night for the offense in a road game, as they pounded out seven runs on 14 hits. McNeil had a 3-hit game, with two of those coming in the fifth inning. Alonso was one of four batters with two-hit games, with his second hit being a solo homer for an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. It was his first home run since April 27.
It was a nice team win with hits up and down the order. Nice to see Pete have a good offensive night. You have to jump on the other team’s starter especially when they are nothing special like tonight’s opponent. You can’t waste half a game trying to figure out what to do. Happy for Butto who got the win and really really settled in after the first. Which Quintana do we get tomorrow as a sweep might just happen? Gotta get the DVR set up.
Thanks for the daily Gut Reaction. It is exactly what a fan would want to read after a game, even if you had just watched it yourself, like many of us do. It’s appreciated.
Hits. Lots of them. That’s good, but the 4th place Mets will need a lot more of that going forward as they start to lose sight of the Phillies and Braves and battle the Nats for the last Wild Card spot.
Gut Reaction: Nimmo had a clutch blast. He is the most consistent offensive player that the Mets have.. This is the fifth straight year that he has a OPS+ somewhere around his career OPS+ of 130. He is reliable.
I thought that SRF would pitch the 7th and 8th innings but Lopez would pitch the ninth. Obviously Mendoza and Heffner saw something so that good managing. When Garrett relieved him, I thought he would finished the game to save the bullpen for this afternoon game. Instead he used two more pitchers.
Mendoza is managing well . He is bold, batting Stewart in front of Martinez, and he is getting the maximum with Bader, Taylor and Stewart.
Mendoza yesterday said that he wants to use all 26 guys…. Buck Showalter from his first year.