The Clean Dozen

The Mets ended a four-game losing streak and retained first place in the NL East thanks to a 12-6 drubbing of the San Francisco Giants.

The Mets’ “Fab Four” - Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso - might finally be hitting again. New York (NL) got the jump on the G-Men in the bottom of the first. Kai-Wei Teng, making his first career MLB start, hit Nimmo with a pitch. Lindor then drew a 10-pitch walk. After Soto whiffed, Alonso smacked his second homer in as many games, a no-doubter that happened to be the 250th of his big league career. He’s now two away from tying Darryl Strawberry’s Met franchise record. 

But Kodai Senga continued to struggle since coming off the injured list, slowly but surely giving up the 3-0 lead in only four innings of work. Casey Schmitt led off the second with a double before Jung Hoo Lee was hit by a Senga curveball that didn’t curve. Andrew Knitzer walked on four pitches to load ‘em up. Senga, formerly known as the master of extrication, managed to get Grant McCray to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to get two quick outs, but a run scored at the same time. In the third, Senga retired the first two batters he faced before he walked Matt Chapman - likely on purpose after Chappy’s two home run performance against Senga last Sunday. Dominic Smith, with revenge strength, hit a two-run homer to right next to tie the game at three. Jung Hoo Lee led off the fourth with a double, scoring one batter later on a McCray single to right. 4-3 Giants.

The Mets scored two right back in the bottom half of the frame. Cedric Mullins started it off with his first base hit as a Metro. After Francisco Alvarez flew out to center and Mullins stole second, Brett Baty drew a walk. That ended Teng’s afternoon and started Matt Gage’s. Against the southpaw, Nimmo singled to right, scoring the speedy Mullins to tie the game again. With Baty on third with one out, Lindor on an 0-1 pitch bunted. Dom Smith, usually a solid first baseman, surprisingly didn’t try to throw home where he easily could have thrown out Baty. Instead he instinctively looked at second base. Unfortunately for him, nobody was there. He then looked at first - nobody was there either. The Mets took the lead. 

In the sixth against Spencer Bivens, the Mets went back to work. With one out, Alvarez singled. Baty walked again. Nimmo singled again to score Alvarez. Lindor singled as well, scoring Baty to make it 7-4 Mets. The Mets would end up going 8 for 17 with runners in scoring position. Who are these guys and can they please stay?

The game was blown open in the seventh. Facing Tristan Beck, Ronny Mauricio walked with one out. Mullins was hit by a pitch. One batter later, Baty singled to load the bases for Nimmo, who singled for the third time yesterday, scoring Mauricio. Lindor then picked up two ribeye steaks with a double to right. Nimmo would score New York’s 11th run when Beck uncorked a wild pitch. In the eighth, Alonso doubled and advanced to third on an error by the right fielder, then scored on a Jeff McNeil ground out. 

While all this scoring was going on, the Mets Bullpen 27.0 did its job and then some. Reed Garrett, Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers, and Brooks Raley combined for four shutout innings. The only blemish by the ‘pen came in the ninth when Rico Garcia served up a garbage time two-run homer to Willy Adames. For his unforgivable mistake, Garcia reportedly was designated for assignment again.

I’ve been burned before when saying Lindor and Alonso are back, so I won’t declare their bats undead just yet. I will just say that yesterday’s game was a fun change of pace, and wouldn’t it be nice if we had more days like that one?

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Mullins’ stolen base was the 30th consecutive successful stolen base attempt by the Mets.

Joel Sherman broke the Garcia DFA news. He added that the move wasn’t made to bring up Nolan McLean or Brandon Sproat the GOAT.

The Mets granted the release of three Triple-A pitchers: Junior Fernandez, Julian Merryweather, and Colin Poche.

Fantastic Max Kranick ended up getting flexor tendon repair surgery instead of Tommy John surgery. Flexor tendon repair surgery has a faster recovery timetable than TJ’s, so conceivably he could return at some point next season.

The Triple-A Syracuse Mets (56-51) won yet again, edging the Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays affiliate) 5-4. Jared Young, Hayden Senger, and Luis De Los Santos all went yard. Paul Blackburn (right shoulder impingement) went five and a third innings on 93 pitches in his most recent rehab start. He allowed two earned runs on six hits, walking two and striking out three. Huascar Brazobán followed Blackburn with a hitless inning and two thirds performance on 29 pitches, striking out three in the process. 

In game one of a doubleheader, the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies (67-31) threw a combined seven-inning no-hitter against the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals)! In the 3-0 win, Brandon Waddell (right hip impingement) started and tossed two and two thirds innings, striking out an impressive six. Luis Moreno and Ryan Lambert combined for the other four and a third hitless frames. In the second game, the Rumble Ponies (67-32) fell to the Senators by a score of 7-5. Chris Suero and Kevin Parada both went 2 for 4 with a double. Jonathan Santucci didn’t have it last night. He allowed five earned runs in five innings, allowing yes, five hits. He walked two but did strike out seven.

The High-A Brooklyn Cyclones (60-41) lost to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies) 7-4. Boston Baro went 2 for 5 with a double and two runs scored in the losing effort. Cristofer Gomez got the loss. He allowed six earned runs in just an inning and two thirds.

The Low-A St. Lucie Mets (59-41) split a doubleheader against the Daytona Tortugas (Reds). They lost Game 1 3-2 in eight innings, with all the runs scored in the final inning. St. Lucie won Game 2 however by a score of 6-1. Randy Guzman went 2 for 3 with a three-run homer, a run scored, and four RBI. Omar Victorino (4.2 IP 1 ER) and Hunter Hodges (2.1 IP 0 ER) combined to cover all seven innings for the Lucies. 

21 years ago today, Bob Murphy passed away.

Today the Mets look to take the series against the Giants. The lefty Carson Whisenhunt (0-0, 7.20 ERA) will get the start for San Francisco. Frankie Montas (3-1, 5.46 ERA) will take the pill for New York (NL). First pitch is scheduled for 1:40 pm eastern. The game will air on SNY and out of town on MLB Network.