Slumpbusters! Lindor and Alonso Return to Form to Sweep the Angels

Mets 6 Angels 3 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)

Mets record: 59-44

Mets streak: Won 4

Last 10: 6-4

WP - Sean Manaea (1-1)

LP - Jake Eder (0-1)

SV -Edwin Diaz (21)

Seat on the Korner: Francisco Lindor

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.

Today’s seat on the Korner goes to the no-longer struggling (hopefully) Francisco Lindor. After a first inning fly out to center, Lindor’s 0-fer streak had reached 31 straight at-bats. So when he stepped to the plate with two on and no out in the bottom of the third of a tie game, it seemed like a perfect time to break out of his funk. And he did - with an RBI single to left that put the Mets ahead 2-1. Lindor would come around to score on Pete Alonso’s 3-run home run two batters later. Of course, it can take more than one hit to prove a slump is over. So Lindor did it again, with a 2-out RBI single in the next inning to out the Mets ahead 6-1.

Need to Know

• The Mets wore their traditional home pinstripe uniforms, breaking from the 3-game streak of wearing their City Connect jerseys. Their win streak, however, continued.

• Prior to the game, the Mets activated pitcher Jose Butto from the injured list and have optioned pitcher Justin Garza. Butto pitched the top of the 7th, making his first appearance since June 28th.

• This was the Mets last game of a two-series homestand. They have off tomorrow as they travel to the west coast for the final time this regular season. It will be a six-game road trip with three each against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres.

• The Mets are now 37-17 at Citi Field, the best home record in the majors.

• This was the Mets seventh series sweep this season and their first ever series sweep over the Angels.

• The Mets are now 19-17 in interleague play this year. They are 40-26 in games against NL teams.

• Brandon Nimmo's HBP was the 59th time that the Mets have been plunked this season, tying them with the Marlins for most in the majors.

• Pete Alonso's third-inning three-run blast (and at 439 feet, it really was a blast) was his 248th career home run, as he inches closer to Darryl Strawberry's franchise record of 252.

  
  

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• Sean Manaea struck out the side in the first inning, for the second time this season.

  
  

Turning Point

The turning point came in the bottom of the third when Francisco Lindor broke his 0-31 streak with a run-scoring single. The Angels had tied the game in the top of the inning on a solo home run by Mike Trout.

Three Keys

Blaze On

It didn't take long for Brandon Nimmo to extend his on-base streak to 17 games. Nimmo launched the fourth pitch of the bottom of the first to put the Mets ahead 1-0. It was Nimmo's first leadoff home run this season, and the 14th of his career. The home run was the 129th of his career, tying him with Francisco Lindor for 9th in Mets history. The 4-bagger was also his team-leading 6th against left-handed pitching.

That wasn't all for Nimmo though. When he was (barely) hit by a Jake Eder fastball in the bottom of the third, it was Nimmo's 86th career HBP, the second-most in franchise history.

Just Hold Tight

It wasn’t especially pretty but Edwin Diaz got the job done, nothing his 21st save of the season. Diaz was brought into the game with a runner on first and two outs in the top of the 8th to face former Mets catcher, Travis d’Arnaud. He proceeded to hit d’Arnaud with the pitch bringing the tying run to the plate. He then threw six straight pitches out of the strike zone, however home plate umpire, Erich Bacchus, called three of them strikes Ejections followed.

Things weren’t much easier in the 9th. Diaz hit Chris Taylor with a 96 MPH fastball to the head, putting the leadoff man on. He was able to retire the next three batters, however, with Trout ending the game with a pop out for the second straight day. With this save, Diaz has surpassed his totally from last season.

Brett Back On The Train

Brett Baty went 1-4 today, and is now batting .289 (39-135) in 48 home games this season. In 18 games this month, Baty is batting .277 with with nine runs, two doubles, three home runs, six RBI and six walks.