On the brink of a series loss, the Mets offense finally breaks open
The Mets rally in the 9th and extra innings for a come-from-behind victory. Plus, how sometimes all you need is a break to get things going.
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets defeated the Reds in 10 innings by a score of 8-3 on Wednesday night (box)
LHP David Peterson struggled with his command but was bailed out by the bullpen who provided 6.1 scoreless innings in relief
With the club down to their final pair of outs, OF Starling Marte delivered a game-tying double right down the foul line in the 9th inning
1B/DH Dominic Smith, C James McCann and CF Brandon Nimmo combined to drive in five runs in the top of the 10th inning to win the game going away
New York had scored just two runs over 19 innings in the series prior to scoring six in the final two frames
Wednesday night’s victory marked the fourth time this season that the Mets won a game when trailing entering the 9th inning
The Mets are now 19-5-2 in series, 10-3-1 in road series, 6-0 in extra innings, 40-9 when scoring first and now have 18 comeback wins this season
C Francisco Álvarez was named the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Jacob deGrom (stress reaction in right scapula) will make his second rehab start on Friday for Low-A Port St. Lucie
Roster Moves 📰
LHP David Peterson activated from the paternity list
RHP R.J. Alvarez optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
Who’s Hot 🔥
Since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, Dominic Smith is hitting .333/.333/.778 with six doubles, three RBI and three runs scored in 11 games
Brandon Nimmo went 6-for-13 (.462) with two home runs and six RBI in the club’s three-game series in Cincinnati
Mets relievers have a 1.54 ERA over the last six games with 26 strikeouts over 23.1 innings pitched
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (51-31) vs. Marlins (39-41)
Where: Citi Field — Flushing, New York
Starters: RHP Trevor Williams (1-5, 4.34 ERA) vs LHP Daniel Castano (1-1, 2.42 ERA)
When: 7:10 PM EST
Where to Watch: SNY
In baseball, sometimes an inch goes a long way… 📝
Things weren’t looking good for the Mets for the majority of Wednesday night. Following a 1-0 walk-off loss on the previous day, New York’s offense was sputtering once again for the majority of the night against the worst pitching staff (and team) in the National League.
Through the first eight innings, the Mets had scored just two runs despite recording 11 hits in large part because their RISP offense was failing once again, going just 2-for-9 in such situations to that point. Overall, the Mets offense had been hitting under .200 with runners in scoring position since June 12th which ranked fourth-worst in the league over that time.
Down to their final pair of outs in the 9th inning, it looked as if the Mets were headed to their most disappointing series loss of the season (not that there had been many others to choose from). Trailing 3-2 with one out in the 9th inning and the tying run on first, Starling Marte ripped a ball down the left field line that was ruled fair, which resulted in Brandon Nimmo coming all the way around to score and tie the ballgame.
When the play happened live, it appeared as if it was a foul ball. The slow motion replays certainly seemed to back that up, as well. But luckily for the Mets that was not what the umpire ruled and thanks to it being a non-reviewable play, it was not overturned.
And though what followed was a pair of first-pitch outs made by Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso to end the frame, it really was a call that seemed to be everything this struggling Mets offense needed.
In the following frame, New York’s lineup exploded for five runs — more than double what they’d scored over the previous 20 innings of the series. Dominic Smith ripped a double (his sixth since returning from the minor leagues) down the first base line to plate the go-ahead run, followed by an RBI knock by James McCann (who’d been just 2-for-20 at the plate since returning from his IL stint) and then a three-run homer by Nimmo to cap the whole thing off and break the game open for the Mets.
Without a potentially generous call by the third base umpire in the 9th inning, who knows if the Mets offense would have found its way out of the doldrums on Wednesday night. Maybe Marte would have come through in a different fashion and the Mets would’ve found a way, but it’s very possible that they would’ve wound up stranding another runner on base and coming back home with a surprising series loss to the lowly Reds. Had that happened, New York’s lead in the NL East would have been shaved down to a slim 1.5 games over the Braves, putting even more pressure on the club to deliver over this upcoming weekend against Miami. They also would have come into that series having scored four runs or less in eight of their last nine games, casting further doubt in the minds of their hitters.
It’s amazing to think the difference an inch, or in this case a couple centimeters, can truly make…
Down on the Farm 🌾
Travis Jankowski (OF, rehab assignment, Triple-A): 2-for-3, HR (1), 2 BB, 2 runs scored
Brett Baty (3B, No. 2 prospect, Double-A): 2-for-4, RBI, run scored
Alex Ramirez (OF, No. 4 prospect, Single-A): 2-for-4, 2B
Box Scores: Triple-A Gm 1 Gm 2 | Double-A | Single-A | Low-A
Around the League 🚩
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge crushed his 30th home run of the season in the team’s blowout win over the Pirates
Angels RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani struck out 10 and drove in a pair of runs in a dominant outing vs the Marlins in the club’s 5-2 victory
Phillies OF Kyle Schwarber delivered his second consecutive multi-homer game but the Philadelphia lost to the Nationals, 3-2
The Braves defeated the Cardinals for the third straight night and are now 26-7 since June 1st