The Mets are so hot that even having Edwin Diaz ejected in the ninth inning before throwing a pitch and having his replacement have to leave at least in part due to an injury couldn’t keep the Mets from a 5-2 win over the Cubs Sunday night in Chicago. The victory gives the team the series win.
Once again, the Mets used power to get the victory. Home runs by Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos led the way, with Lindor and Nimmo going back-to-back in the third inning. Vientos’ blast came to straight-away center field, officially a 451-foot homer.
Luis Severino started and had a dominant outing, as he tossed six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts. Dedniel Nunez gave up a two-run homer in the seventh but four pitchers combined to keep the Cubs off the board in the final two frames.
With a three-run lead, Edwin Diaz was set to come on for the save. But when ESPN came back from commercial, we saw Diaz walking off the mound. He was ejected for having too much sticky stuff on his hands. Drew Smith came on and got two outs before leaving After recording the second out, trainers came out to check on Smith but he stayed in the game. When the next batter reached base, he was removed, with Jake Diekman getting the final out.
After an off day Monday, the Mets return home with a two-game series against the Yankees.
Gut reaction: the Mets ambushed Assad in the third inning when Bader doubled, Lindor homered and Nimmo homered. Meanwhile, Severino was throwing 98 miles an hour mowing the Cubs down. It was an impressive start and the Bellinger at bat topped it off in the sixth inning. Severino was battling. Vientos belongs in the major leagues. He has had a good run after his call up.
The ESPN camera convicted Diaz having a substance on his hand. Why didn’t the coach in the bullpen check him before he entered the game?
The Mets have won the last four series and haven’t lost series after Los Angeles in May.
It depends on the umpiring crew, apparently. Why do some pitchers get to wash their hands and come back to the mound?
Bader had two doubles down the third-base line; real shots! He is on a pace to have his all-time best doubles total this year.