The Mets were nice enough to try to put Saturday’s game to bed early. Tomas Nido smacked a three run double in the second inning, and that was quickly followed by Todd Frazier’s three run HR in the third to give the Mets a 6-0 lead early which they would not relinquish, despite having a first baseman in the outfield (who left the game with a tight groin … joy) and an outfielder at first base.
Noah Syndergaard went to 11-3 on the season despite an outing where he gave up 12 hits and walked five in six and 2/3’s. It’s actually quite amazing that he only threw 109 pitches in the game considering all of that. But the 109th pitch resulted in the 12th hit which resulted in a line drive off Noah’s lat muscle. (Of course, it would be off his lat muscle.) He flopped around like a fish and my heart was in my throat, but he would get up and walk off the field under his own power.
Noah Syndergaard on the comebacker off his ribs: “That’s been my nightmare ever since I started playing baseball. Today was just my judgement day of having a screamer come back at me.
“Everyone’s asking if I’m OK. I’m just concerned if the ball is all right.”
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) September 9, 2018
It was after that where the key at-bat of the game happened … Jerry Blevins vs Jose Bautista. 2016 Blevins vs 2011 Bautista would have been a hell of a matchup in a season that mattered and existed. But we had to settle for a pitcher whose HR/9 spiked this season against a former home run hitter who only walks these days with the bases loaded and the Mets up by five. Our dream matchup would have probably been advantage Bautista. (In 2013, which splits the difference, Bautista hit a double off Blevins.) But these days, late season Blevins had the advantage over walk-a-thon pinch hitter Bautista, and Blevins struck him out to end the inning. That, basically, was your ballgame.
(But if Bautista did do some damage against Blevins? Well … remember when I said that last night’s loss was the equivalent of rice pudding? Well tonight would have been the filet mignon of losses had Bautista hit another double off him. Thankfully, Jerry got the out and a long, rainy night ended positively.)
Jacob deGrom pitches tomorrow with the knowledge that the Mets scored ten runs tonight. And he thinks that’s awesome. Really, he does.
Today’s Hate List
- Carlos Ramos
- Angel Hernandez
- CB Bucknor
- Adam Hamari
- Doug Eddings
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