Eight And One Leads To Seven And Four

The first eight innings of Sunday’s win against the Rockies belonged to Marcus Stroman. He had had success in other start at Coors Field as a Met, when he pitched seven shutout innings. But could he do it again?

Marcus Stroman in his LAST start at Coors Field: 7 IP, 0 runs on Sept. 17, 2019

He's through 6 scoreless right now, still in the game (and at 58 pitches!)

No visiting pitcher has ever had back-to-back scoreless starts of 6+ IP at Coors Field

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 18, 2021

And as good as the six scoreless innings were, they were even better when you realize he did it in 58 pitches in Coors Field.

He gave up a run in the 7th on a double by Trevor Story and a single by Charlie Blackmon, but that was it in eight innings. One run, one walk, three hits, 90 pitches. It was insanely efficient, and it’s another step in the monster season that is building up for Stroman.

Oh, and there was also this:

#Mets fan. #Rockies fan. Baseball fan. Who cares? This play by Mets RHP Marcus Stroman was delightful. pic.twitter.com/fVQlBMjbQH

— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) April 18, 2021

I mean, I got nothing for you.

So with the Mets getting two on a Jeff McNeil groundout in the second and J.D. Davis cracking a single to center after C.J. Cron gave him an extra at-bat by having one go through his legs (those kinds of events always seem to work out for the Mets), they took a 2-1 lead into the ninth. As the first eight innings belonged to Stroman, inning number nine belonged to …

James McCann.

It was Edwin Diaz’s inning for the save, but the two key plays of the inning belonged to McCann. First, with Ryan McMahon up and one out with a 2-2 count, McCann shook off Diaz, who wanted a slider, four times before Diaz finally gave in and threw a fastball to McMahon, who lifted a fly ball to left that came perilously close to going out, and had me uttering the same curse word four straight times before the ball fell into Brandon Nimmo’s glove for the second out.

Then, after Story hit one off the end of the bat to reach first, he took off for second with everyone knowing that he was going to second.

Including McCann, apparently.

A walk-off caught stealing thanks to a PERFECT throw from James McCann and the @Mets win the series! 💪

(via @SNYtv) pic.twitter.com/FcJaoDTZtv

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 18, 2021

Nice to have a second starter and a starting catcher that can throw, eh?

That one had everyone pumped up, and it was certainly, without question, McCann’s “Welcome to New York” moment. (Whatever moment I might have said it was before, scratch that and write this one in … in pen.) The Mets got what they needed, which was a series win in Colorado. Next they might get something which they might tell you that they don’t need: snow in the forecast in Chicago on Tuesday when they’re supposed to play next. But I guess if they have to play 77 doubleheaders of 7 innings each, it’ll be less taxing to the pitching staff.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Today’s Hate List

1. Congratulations to Jay Bruce on a great career …
2. … which he voluntarily ended to spend some time with his family.
3. Funny how the Yankees finally got Jay Bruce, and he retires on them.
4. If I was on the worst team in the American League …
5. … I might retire too.