Sweeping With the Fishes

Beehiiv informed me Gmail doesn’t allow gifs that are more than 1MB. The problem is pretty much all gifs are over 1MB? If the gif doesn’t show up, click the “read online” option. 

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The Mets took advantage of the Marlins having to scratch their starting pitcher at the last minute and blew them out of the water 10-1. A week after getting swept in Miami, the Mets swept them right back in Queens.

Nolan McLean, like Christian Scott the day before, struggled at times, but managed to throw five innings without giving up much of anything. With one out in the top of the first, McLean’s control problems were in full effect - he walked Liam Hicks and then plunked Otto Lopez (it was his eighth HBP of the season). With a runner in scoring position, McLean managed to get Kyle Stowers to pop it up to third, and then Javier Sanoja hit it back to the generator. 

The Marlins were supposed to trot Jansen Junk out there, but at the last minute the team had to place him on the injured list. So, a bullpen game it was. The lefty John King served as the opener, and he was greeted rudely as they say by Carson Benge, who clubbed a hanger for a home run that even Jakob Marsee couldn’t get to. 

With two outs in the second, Owen Caissie singled to center and Esteury Ruiz walked on five pitches. McLean beared down and coaxed Xavier Edwards into hitting a grounder right at him to get out of the potentially sticky situation. 

King stayed on for the bottom of the second. Mark Vientos singled the opposite way before A.J. Ewing and Brett Baty both struck out on a change-up. Anthony Bender came in and immediately served up a two-run homer ball against Marcus Semien to make it 3-0 New York (NL). 

After a 1-2-3 third, the Marlins scratched out a run off of McLean in the fourth. Nolan walked the first two batters in the inning, which is never a good idea. Connor Norby was possibly robbed of an extra base hit by Ewing in center. No matter: Owen Caissie doubled to left on a ball that juuuust landed fair to score Sanoja. After a Ruiz ground out, McLean walked Edwards to load the bases. Fortunately, Liam Hicks grounded out to Bo Bichette at short for the third out. 

The Mets rallied with two outs in the fourth. Ewing battled back down 0-2 in the count against Calvin Faucher to draw a hard-earned walk. Baty singled to left off the first pitch he saw. Semien worked an eight-pitch base on balls to load the bases for Luis Torrens, who stroked a two RBI base knock to the opposite field to make it 5-1 Mets. 

McLean faced the minimum in the fifth to finish his day at 94 pitches. David Peterson took over and gobbled up the final four frames in just 51 pitches, earning a rare four-inning save. 

It helped that he had a big lead to work with. The Marlins had Josh White make his MLB debut in the bottom of the sixth. He got the first two outs before all hell broke loose. Semien walked. Torrens was hit by a pitch. Benge and Bichette walked, scoring a run. That set up Juan Soto with the bases drunk. It did not end well for Mr. White. 

Soto slugged a grand salami, the third in his career, the first by a Met this season. The score became 10-1 Mets, and that would prove to be the final tally. 

A series sweep is always nice. Doing it against a team that swept you the week before is doubly sweet. Now, the fourth and final west coast trip begins. 

The Mets finished with a 16-12 record in the month of May. In April they were 7-19. 

Marcus Semien this series: 5 for 10 with a home run, a double, and two walks. It's amazing what a day off can do for a 35-year-old who plays every single day. 

The Cohens gifted Hayden Senger a bottle of Dom Perignon on Saturday for hitting his first MLB home run.

Carlos Mendoza said Francisco Alvarez (knee) will start a rehab assignment tomorrow in Syracuse. Amazing. 

Juan Soto said Benge and Ewing call themselves “psychopaths” based on the way they play the outfield, and Soto agrees with them. 

The Triple-A Syracuse Mets handled the Rochester Red Wings (Nationals affiliate) 11-6. CF Nick Morabito went 2 for 4 with a home run, a run scored, three RBI, and a walk. 1B Ryan Clifford went 2 for 4 with his 13th dinger of the year, two runs scored, an RBI, and a walk. SS Jackson Cluff went 2 for 4 with a homer, two runs scored, two RBI, and a stolen base. LHP Nate Lavender ended up with the win even though he gave up an earned run on one hit in one and two thirds innings. RHP Dylan Ross tossed a scoreless frame, allowing one hit, walking one but fanning two in the process. 

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies fell to the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) 3-1. 1B JT Schwartz went 3 for 3 with a dinger, a run scored, and an RBI. LHP Jonathan Santucci got a no-decision. He threw five scoreless innings on three hits. He walked one and punched out five. 

The High-A Brooklyn Cyclones silenced the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 2-0. DH Ronald Hernandez went 2 for 4 with a stolen bag. 1B Corey Collins hit a solo shot. LHP Daviel Hurtado, RHP Bryce Jenkins, RHP Juan Arnaud, RHP Hunter Hodges, and RHP Cristofer Gomez combined on the shutout. 

The Low-A St. Lucie Mets lost 8-3 to the Bradenton Marauders (Pirates). C Julio Zayas and LF Kevin Villavicencio had multi-hit days. St. Lucie went 1 for 12 with RISP. RHP Jonathan Jimenez got the L. He permitted four earned runs on four hits in three innings of work. He walked and struck out three. 

On this day in 2012, Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in Mets history, with a little help from a great catch by Mike Baxter. I’ll never forget it.

On this day in 1998, Mike Piazza slugged his first home run as a New York Metropolitan.

Two years ago today, the Mets retired Darryl Strawberry’s #18.

Tonight the Mets begin a series with the Seattle Mariners in the Pacific Northwest. RHP Austin Warren (1-1, 1.40 ERA 3.65 xFIP) will open in a bullpen game where LHP Sean Manaea (0-1 5.56 ERA 4.17 xFIP) will likely serve as the bulk guy. The Mariners’ scheduled starter is RHP Emerson Hancock (4-2, 2.78 ERA 3.40 xFIP). First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 pm eastern. The game will air on SNY and Audacy Radio 880 AM with Keith Raad and Pat McCarthy.