It takes 18 innings but Mets finally earn 3-1 win over St. Louis Cardinals | Rapid reaction
Updated: Jul. 20, 2015, 1:13 a.m. |
Published: Jul. 20, 2015, 12:13 a.m.
Mike Vorkunov | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
ST. LOUIS -- For 18 innings, this game continued on, no end in sight. First no team could score. Then the Mets could not hold to the only run they could procure.
It was a game that seemed as if it go on forever.
Finally, in the 18th inning, there was a break. Facing Carlos Martinez, the Cardinals' eighth pitcher of the game, the Mets poked home two runs to break the long and dreary stalemate. A 3-1 victory was theirs at Busch Stadium after five hours and 56 minutes.
It was certainly hard-won and full of failure too. The Mets left 25 runners stranded in scoring position and could only manage three runs despite 16 hits and 13 walks. Lucas Duda struck out in the 17th after Jacob deGrom walked to load the bases, epitomizing their torture.
But Ruben Tejada broke the tie with a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the 18th, then Eric Campbell drove in another with a sacrifice bunt. Mercifully for the Mets, it was enough. Keith Hernandez could have his drink.
The win was much-needed. It meant that the Mets avoided a sweep by baseball's best team right out of the All-Star break. Now the Mets have to face the Nationals and Dodgers in back-to-back series and try to stay above .500, let alone in the postseason race.
The Mets certainly had an opportunity to end it in the 13th. They broke the scoreless stalemate with a double from Curtis Granderson and then a single by Kevin Plawecki. Then Jeurys Familia, the Mets' fearsome closer, came in for the save. But two pitches into the bottom of the 14th, Kolten Wong turned on a 94 mph sinker and crushed it into the crook over the right field wall and between the foul pole. The game was tied again.
It had been before because of a marvelous outing by Jon Niese. The lefty was strong again. He gave the Mets 7 2/3 scoreless innings, continuing his excellence of late. He now has a 2.01 ERA over his last seven starts after a four-start blip.
Two of the five hits he allowed were to Cardinals pitcher Tim Cooney. But the Cardinals lefty was good on the mound too. He shutout the Mets over 5 2/3 innings and struck out seven, while walking four.
It continued the Mets' offensive shortage. They scored just four runs in the first 27 innings of this series.
Jon Niese was brilliant again. He did not allow a run over 7 2/3 innings. Though he left after plunking Randall Grichuk, Bobby Parnell ended the inning without damage. Niese now has a 2.01 ERA over his last seven starts.
Wilmer Flores gets thrown out, gets pissed off, spikes his helmet #Mets pic.twitter.com/wzlZe6XIjd
— Keon Broxton Superfan (@MetsKevin11) July 19, 2015
STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
* It was Curtis Granderson's turn to take a seat as the Mets faced a lefty. John Mayberry started in right field. He went 0-for-2 with a walk. "One of the reasons John Mayberry is here he's got huge numbers in his career against left-handed pitching, we got to get in there some place," manager Terry Collins said before the game.
With Granderson on the bench to start the game, Juan Lagares led off for the Mets. "What he's done this year against left-handed pitching has been pretty good," Collins said. "To me he was the ideal guy." He had a .783 OPS against left-handed pitching entering Sunday.
* Jenrry Mejia is slotted into the seventh inning right now. He'll spot Bobby Parnell and Jeurys Familia in high leverage situations when necessary. He pitched two scoreless innings in the 10th and 11th Sunday.
* Sean Gilmartin hadn't hit since May 30, 2013 but he singled in his first major league at-bat in the 16th inning.
* With his pinch-hit double in the 12th, Kirk Nieuwenhuis has increased his OPS by 303 points over his last four games. That's a lot.
* Ruben Tejada is riding a good streak. He's got 15 hits in his last 44 at-bats and doubled Sunday.
Ruben Tejada has a 1.1 WAR this year. Had 1.0 WAR in 2013-14. Castro, Ramirez, Desmond this year: -2.3 WAR.
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 19, 2015
The Mets go to Washington for a crucial three game series. They've lined up their pitching to reflect it: Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.
Mike Vorkunov may be reached at mvorkunov@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Mike_Vorkunov. Find NJ.com Mets on Facebook.