James Loney made contact, then turned towards the Mets dugout and flipped his bat before running to first. At the beginning of the season, this wouldn’t make any sense. In the middle of August, we’d assume the below replacement level first baseman made another out as the season was slipping away.
We’d seen this story before. In 2007, the Mets fell out of the playoffs in the last day of the season. Going back to 1989 and 1987, the Mets have always been snake-bitten the year after winning the division. With all the injuries this year, it looked like 2016 would be another chapter in that story.
But at the end of this regular season, Loney turned to the dugout because he gave Mets fans a reason to celebrate. His two-run homer gave the Mets a 4-2 lead they would not relinquish. For the first time in franchise history, the Mets are heading to the playoffs the year after winning the division.
Bartolo Colon – the one Mets starter who has taken the ball every start – started like he was auditioning to get the call for the Wild Card game. His two-seamer had late life, staying down in the zone and darting in ways that the young Phillies lineup hadn’t seen before.
Like we’ve seen so much in the last five weeks, the Mets got a boost from players brought in to fill the gaps caused by a torrent of injuries. T.J. Rivera drove in the first run. Jose Reyes drove in the second run as Travis d’Arnaud slid under a tag. Neil Walker and David Wright were among the Mets’ most productive hitters when they were healthy, but their replacements in the infield found a way to contribute as well.
Colon faced the minimum through four innings but ran in to trouble in the fifth. Maikel Franco singled and Ryan Howard got all of an elevated fastball for what may be his last home run as a Phillie. Suddenly it was tied 2-2, and a Cody Asche pinch hit blooper fell in center to put runners at the corners. Cesar Hernandez hit a ball sharply down the line, but Loney gloved it to end the threat.
Loney came up in the next inning and drove a David Hernandez pitch deep to right. He’s not exactly a power hitter, so you know he got all of it if he’s turning to the dugout and flipping his bat. Baseball is notorious for players who aren’t the best but still manage to get big hits at big moments. Mets fans may not want to see more Loney, but he flipped his bat like a player who wants to show he belongs in the postseason (and in the big leagues next year).
Terry Collins pulled Colon after five innings and 61 pitches. Colon did lose some command in the fifth, although it’s more likely that Collins was thinking ahead to the Wild Card game and possibly needing a short hook for Syndergaard. The middle of the bullpen didn’t exactly inspire confidence though. Jerry Blevins only retired one of two hitters. Hansel Robles came in next and tried throwing the ball as hard as possible. After a strikeout and a Howard line drive single, Yoenis Cespedes made a shoestring catch to end the threat. Fernando Salas got the seventh and gave up a two-out homer to Darin Ruf on a fastball right down the middle.
In a year where Matt Harvey, Jacob DeGrom and Steven Matz went down with season ending injuries, Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia have been rock solid in the bullpen. They locked down a playoff spot on Saturday. Reed threw a 1-2-3 inning. Familia got two outs before it started raining. As Phillies fans ran for cover, the loud Mets contingent cheered for one more out. After everything this team has been through – the injuries, the baffling lineup choices, some more injuries – another downpour wasn’t going to deter anyone.
What’s Next:
Gabriel Ynoa will start Game 162 of the regular season. Syndergaard will throw a bullpen session to prepare for the playoffs.
Photo credit: Derik Hamilton – USA Today Sports