It’s cool when the Mets prove they can actually win a game once in a while. The Mets defeated the Blue Jays last night by a score of 6-3, for just their seventh victory in their last 30 games. Apparently, wins are so rare for the Mets nowadays that they now call for firework celebrations —or at least that seemed to be the case in my neighborhood last night.
This series marked a return to Toronto for two formerly Very Talented Blue Jays, Jose Bautista and Jose Reyes. Bautista had a nice showing in Tuesday night’s game, and made an impact last night as well, recording a big RBI single in fifth inning. Reyes, on the other hand, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. His wRC+ is at 36 for the season.
Corey Oswalt got the start for the Mets, and actually pitched competently this time around. He went just four innings, though he only threw 65 pitches, and allowed just two runs on five hits and one walk. Obviously, it wasn’t anything dominating, but it was much better than his last time out. Seth Lugo came in behind Oswalt, and the Mets basically wound up playing piggyback with the two pitchers. Lugo went three innings himself, only allowing three hits and a run while striking out two. He continues to be arguably the best part of the team’s bullpen.
And even though the two pitchers combined to give up three runs, it didn’t actually matter because the Mets offense, believe it or not, was able to score six runs for the second straight day. Down 1-0, a Brandon Nimmo single knotted the game up at 1-1 in the third, and then, down 2-1 in the fifth, Todd Frazier delivered the biggest blow of the night: a two-run homer to turn the game around and put the Mets in front. The Mets added three more runs in the inning on the afforementioned Bautista single, and run-scoring singles by both Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Conforto. It was the Mets’ first sustained, one-inning rally in what feels like two months.
The combo of Oswalt/Lugo got the Mets through seven on the mound, and set it up for *gasp* the rest of the bullpen. But Jerry Blevins and Robert Gsellman tag-teamed the eighth inning and didn’t give up a hundred runs — in fact they didn’t give up any runs! Jeurys Familia then came on in the ninth to seal the deal, and the Mets triumphantly moved back within 14 games of first place.
OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY
Noah Syndergaard will begin a rehab assignment in Brooklyn Sunday and Yoenis Cespedes resumes baseball activities today. It would be cool if they both came back soon.
The Mets will push Zack Wheeler’s next start back to Monday in order to avoid taxing their bullpen in the doubleheader. The Mets will call someone up for the start, and it will likely be either P.J. Conlon or Chris Flexen.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Mets are off again today, but return home tomorrow to take on the Rays at Citi Field tomorrow night. Jacob deGrom takes the ball for the Mets, against Ryne Stanek of the Rays. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m.
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski – USA Today Sports