McLean, Robert lead Mets to fourth victory in their last five games

Mets 4 Marlins 2 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)

Mets record: 47-63

Mets streak: Won 1

WP - Brooks Raley (5-5)

LP - Michael Peterson (1-2)

SV - Devin Williams (16)

Seat on the Korner: Luis Robert Jr.

We select a Star of the Game and virtually invite him to take his Seat on the Korner — just as Ralph Kiner did on WOR-TV Channel 9 during the early days of the New York Mets.

Continuing the tradition of Rheingold Beer sponsoring Kiner’s Korner, this season every seat is proudly presented by The Main Event Restaurant & Sports Bar.

With locations in Plainview and Farmingdale, The Main Event features 80+ HD TVs, fresh daily seafood, and Black Angus certified steaks—so you never have to choose between great food and the big game.

Luis Robert Jr.'s clutch two run single in the 8th inning was the difference in a pitcher's duel that was tilted in the Mets' favor with that hit, along with that entire rally which started with two outs and nobody on. Robert also reached on the error that brought in the second Mets run in the 6th.

Need to Know

• The game started after a rain delay of an hour and six minutes.

• Nolan McLean reached 6 innings for the 8th straight start. He gave up two runs on six hits (two solo home runs accounted for the runs) and two walks while striking out six in 99 pitches, lasting 6 and 1/3 innings. McLean saw his ERA drop to 3.29 on the season.

• McLean's ERA since May 31st is 2.24, leading the league over that time.

• This was Eury Perez's second start at Citi Field. His first one ended after 2/3's of an inning when he gave up five runs. This outing was a little better as he gave up one earned run on three hits and two walks in six innings while striking out six. He didn't give up a hit in his first 4 and 2/3's.

• The Mets' first hit came with two outs in the 5th on a single by Marcus Semien.

• Francisco Lindor's RBI single in the 6th gave him 469 RBI as a Met, passing Keith Hernandez for 11th place on the all-time Mets list.

• Brooks Raley pitched one-hit ball over an inning and 2/3's for the victory. He has an ERA of 0.79 and a WHIP of 0.62 in his last 11 and 1/3 innings.

• Luis Robert Jr.'s go ahead hit in the 8th was his second go ahead hit in the 7th inning or later this season. The first one was on Opening Day against the Pirates.

• Devin Williams pitched in back-to-back games for the 6th time this season and got his second straight save.

• The Mets have won four of their last five games with the victory.

  
  

Turning Point

You can call the Robert hit the turning point, but you can say that the whole 8th inning was the turning point with the two out hits by Bo Bichette and Carson Benge with preceded it. But if you want to be specific, the real turning point was authored by Tim Leiper, who made the prudent decision to hold Bichette at third on the single by Benge. The booth went back and forth on the decision, but the most compelling argument was made by Keith when he simply said, "he would have been out by a mile."

And don't forget the steal of second by Benge which turned an RBI single into a two-run single.

Three Keys

Nolan's Run Continues

Nolan McLean didn't get the W, but he was definitely the driving force behind tonight's victory. His stuff was nasty as usual.

He really only made one mistake tonight, and that was the change-up that ended up middle-middle for Kyle Stowers, and he hit a laser beam over the right field wall. The home run he gave up to Jakob Marsee was a 95-mph fastball to a guy that had hit 5 home runs this season. Maybe he shouldn't have fallen behind 3-0, but you just tip your hat to Marsee at that point.

It's funny how good starting pitching leads to success. They've gotten four very good starting pitching performances in the last five, and they won three of those four games. These young pitchers are starting to lead the way here.

Smiles Everyone ... Smiles!

Francisco Lindor's season was derailed by a slow start due in large part to a hamate bone injury, and then a left calf strain. Those injuries can take a while to overcome, but it seems like Lindor is finally shedding those setbacks. In his previous ten games before tonight, Lindor is hitting .316 in 38 at-bats with 3 HR's and 11 RBI. Now granted, 2 of those homers and 6 of those RBI came in Monday's game against Atlanta. But he seems to finally be getting that groove back. It won't help this season, but at least the cries of "he's fried" have quieted.

The Turn Before The Turn

After McLean gave up the Marsee home run in the 7th, Andy Green left McLean in to see if he could finish the inning. At this point in the season, nobody should take too much of an issue with that. But McLean was gassed, and after he gave up a single to Graham Pauley, he was lifted for Brooks Raley. After a passed ball by Francisco Alvarez, Raley didn't have the option of getting the double play to get out of the inning.

Or did he ...

That inning could have gone sideways if that Joe Mack liner went a few feet to the left, right, or up. Raley got lucky, but hey ... luck is the residue of design. Raley has been on a good run in his last few games, so he's in a good enough groove to have plays like that go his way. Whoever trades for Raley this week is going to get a good one.