New York- The noon start for a Peacock game is always tricky for players to get used to since it is an hour earlier than most games begin. The New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels played a night game yesterday, so it’s not surprising that the offense was a bit flat for most of the afternoon. The Angels (63-68) were seeking a sweep, but the Mets (60-71) loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning before Rafael Ortega singled in the winning run to give the home team a 3-2 win to avoid said sweep.
The day started as a pitcher’s duel between David Peterson and Griffin Canning, both of whom had excellent stuff early. The Mets couldn’t touch Canning until the fourth inning, when it took three singles (including an RBI infield single from Francisco Alvarez) to put the home team on the board. That would be all the damage the Mets could muster off of Canning, who allowed just one run on five hits while walking one and striking out nine in seven innings.
That lead looked like it might be all Peterson would need as he delivered an outstanding effort over the first six innings. Peterson ran into trouble in the seventh, loading the bases with one out before Angels’ catcher Chad Wallach plated the tying run. That would be all the Angels could muster as he got Andrew Velasquez to line out to end the threat, leaving his final line at one run allowed over seven innings. Peterson gave up just three hits and walked three while striking out eight, which was easily his best start in a long time.
The Mets’ bullpen gave up the tie in the eighth when Luis Rengifo launched a solo homer (12) off of Drew Smith to put the Angels in front. The Angels weren’t able to protect it for long, however, as Pete Alonso (playing one day after he was hit in the neck with a pitch) doubled to drive in Francisco Lindor in the bottom of the inning and tied the game at 2.
After Adam Ottavino (W, 1-4) worked a perfect ninth inning, the Angels turned to Reynaldo Lopez to send the game to extra innings. Lopez (L, 2-7) got into immediate trouble by hitting Francisco Alvarez to start the inning. D.J. Stewart followed with a single before Mark Vientos walked to load the bases with no one out for Ortega, who dropped a single into right field off the glove of Hunter Renfroe to plate pinch-runner Tim Locastro and seal a morale-boosting win.
Player Of The Game:
Today’s Player of the Game award goes to Mets’ starting pitcher David Peterson. The Mets desperately needed length from Peterson a day after Carlos Carrasco gave them just five outs and Peterson delivered with an excellent performance that deserved far better than the no-decision he ended up with.
Post-Game Notes:
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Mets.
Alvarez’s infield single in the fourth inning snapped an 0-for-12 skid.
Daniel Vogelbach stayed hot, collecting two more hits to give him 12 in his last 39 at bats.
Francisco Lindor’s single in the eighth inning extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
The Mets finally managed to solve Shohei Ohtani today as the Angels’ superstar went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts on the day.
The Angels won the season series with the Mets 2-1.
What’s Next:
The Mets will continue their nine-game home stand tomorrow as they welcome the reeling Texas Rangers (73-56) to town to begin a three-game series. RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.54 ERA) is set to take the mound for the Mets while the Rangers will counter with RHP Jon Gray (8-7, 3.76 ERA). First pitch for the opener is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at Citi Field.
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