Game 15 of 162
Mets 3 - Athletics 2 (Rickey Henderson Field at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum)
Mets record: 9-6
Mets streak: Won 3
WP - Drew Smith (1-0)
LP - Shintaro Fujinami (0-3)
SV - David Robertson (3)
Seat on the Korner:
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Brandon Nimmo's two hits, which included the double that drove in the go ahead run, earned him the seat on the Korner today. Nimmo capped off the Mets' come from behind rally in the 7th inning off former teammate Trevor May to drive home Tim Locastro and give the Mets a 3-2 lead, one that they would not relinquish.
Need to Know
This win came on Jackie Robinson Day, an annual celebration of the achievements and social importance of Robinson breaking the color barrier where MLB players all wear the number 42. Today was the 76th anniversary of Robinson's first game.
Carlos Carrasco didn't have a terrible outing. But it was a five inning slog for Cookie. He gave up four hits, walked one, struck out three, and most notably: Carrasco hit three batters, including the last batter he faced to lead off the 6th and end his day. He gave up two runs in the second, the second one on a two out hit to the number nine hitter: Esteury Ruiz.
Pete Alonso's rocket to the left field stands in the 4th put the Mets on the board. It was the 153rd dinger of his career.
After drawing a club record 17 walks on Friday night, the Mets only drew two on Saturday.
David Robertson actually struck out Kevin Smith twice to end the game. The first time was on a beautiful 0-2 curve that froze Smith. But home plate ump Scott Barry called Robertson for a pitch clock violation to put the count at 1-2. So Robertson then went to the fastball and froze Smith again to end the game for real.
Buck Showalter announced after the game that Max Scherzer would be pushed back to Wednesday afternoon's game against the Dodgers due to some lingering soreness from his last start.
Turning Point
After Carrasco hit Aledmys Diaz to lead off the 6th, he was replaced by Drew Smith with the Mets down 2-1 and Jesus Aguilar up to bat. With Smith being known for giving up the long ball every once in a while last sesaon, this could have gotten ugly. Instead, Smith got Aguilar on an excuse me swing that Alonso made a nice play on to get the unassisted double play and wipe the slate clean.
Drew would finish up this inning with no further damage and it would set up the Mets' comeback in the 7th.
Three Keys
This was the fourth game that Mark Canha played against his former organization. In the previous three, he had five hits in 13 at bats, and an OPS of 1.005. He went 1-for-4 today, but the one was a huge blow to tie the game for the Mets off Shintaro Fujinami.
The Mets bullpen collectively won this game. Drew Smith came in for Carlos Corrasco and got four outs. Brooks Raley came on in for Smith in the 7th and stranded a runner on third. Adam Ottavino gave up two walks and three stolen bases in the 8th but escaped. And Robertson worked around a lead off single to Carlos Perez and stranded the runner at third by striking out Kevin Smith twice to end the game.
The bottom of the 8th was the hairy inning for the Mets, with Ottavino on the hill against the heart of the order. He led off the inning by walking Brent Rooker. Tyler Wade pinch ran for him and stole a base. Ottavino then got Ramon Larueano to ground out to short, and Diaz to pop out to Francisco Alvarez for the first two outs. Then Ottavino got careful and it almost cost him. Ryan Noda pinch hit for Aguilar and Ottavino walked him to set up a force play at second. But then Noda stole second to take that away. Ottavino then pitched carefully to Conner Capel with a base still open and Carlos Perez on deck. Capel tagged Trevor Williams and Seth Lugo on consecutive days last September with homers. But today on a 3-2 count, he would swing and miss against a sweeper from Ottavino to end the A's' last best threat.