Game 48 of 162
Mets 2 - Guardians 1 (Citi Field, New York)
Mets record: 25-23
Mets streak: Won 5
WP - Justin Verlander (2-2)
LP - Shane Bieber (3-3)
SV - Brooks Raley (1)
Seat on the Korner: Justin Verlander
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.
Justin Verlander was marvelous Sunday night. The first year Met spun 8 innings of 1-run baseball, leading to his 2nd win of the season. Verlander walked none and struck out 5 on the night. The three-time Cy Young Award winner had been shaky through his first three starts in New York, but this primetime performance is exactly what Mets fans were hoping for out of the 40-year-old.
Need to Know
Francisco Lindor got the scoring going for New York, launching a solo shot to left-center field in the 6th inning, leveling the game at 1. Lindor also singled in the 8th, moving Starling Marte, the eventual game-winning run, over to 3rd base in the process.
Jeff McNeil drove in the game-winning run of the night via a sacrifice fly in the 8th inning. The flying squirrel also reached base in two of his three other plate appearances.
The Mets will look to extend their 5-game-winning streak at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night, where Kodai Senga is expected to take the mound.
Turning Point
A Francisco Lindor check-swing, excuse me single, followed by a Jeff McNeil fly ball to left field put the Mets out in front in the bottom of the 8th inning. With the game knotted at 1 apiece, Francisco Alvarez singled to lead off the bottom half of the 8th inning. The young catcher was promptly replaced by the more fleet-of-foot Starling Marte. After a Brandon Nimmo pop-out, Lindor stepped to the plate, having already taken Shane Bieber deep back in the 6th inning. With Marte in motion, Lindor fought off a pitch into left-center field, advancing Marte to third. Jeff McNeil proceeded to lift a fly ball into left field, allowing Marte to score from third and take their first lead of the night. New York would go on to retire Cleveland in the following inning and complete the series sweep.
3 Keys
Comeback kids
New York's early season struggles have largely been attributed to their inability to win games from behind. A feat they have now achieved in four of their last five games.
Verlander’s swing-and-miss stuff
In tonight’s outing, Justin Verlander recorded a 27% swing-and-miss rate, an uptick from his season-long mark of 22%.
Raley’s turn
Brooks Raley, with David Robertson unavailable, recorded his first save of the season. The left-handed reliever made an uber-athletic play to open the top half of the 9th inning, ranging to his left and shoveling the ball to retire Steven Kwan. Raley would go on to hit Amed Rosario before inducing a game-ending double play.