The 27-year-old Nieuwenhuis began the season with the Mets but was designated for assignment on May 19 after hitting. “Today was a lot of fun”.
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Not to be outdone by Nieuwenhuis, Paul Goldschmidt hit his 21st home run of the season in the fourth inning to cut the Mets lead to 4-2. His first home run put the Mets on the scoreboard after replay confirmed that it was in fact a homer. He had not homered in his first 66 at-bats of the season. 136 in 22 at-bats for Los Angeles before he was claimed by the Mets off waivers on June 13. “I was super happy to come back and see familiar faces”. He was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas last week.
Starting pitcher Ruby De La Rosa couldn’t get out of the 4th inning after allowing 8 hits, 3 of which were home runs, walking 2 and allowing 4 runs. “We had some opportunities we didn’t take advantage of”, he said. “Huge day”.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis slugged a trio of home runs to lead the Mets past the Diamondbacks on Sunday. Shortly before first pitch, the Diamondbacks announced that Hellickson, who was scheduled to pitch the team’s second game after the break, would switch places with Chase Anderson and pitch the fifth game instead.
Mets outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis ducked his head out of the dugout yesterday and raised his batting helmet into the air, the personification of a team that has known the darkness as well as the light. Nieuwenhuis is the 10th player in Mets history with a three-homer game and the first since Ike Davis accomplished the feat on July 28, 2012 at Arizona. “I think that might have helped the cause a little bit”. Especially when it comes to Nieuwenhuis’s home run total.
Nieuwenhuis’ effort marked the first time any Met had ever homered three times in a home game. “He’s a tremendous kid and plays the game the way you want to play it”. “It’s a pretty special day for him”.
“It means a lot for Kirk, I know that”, Mets manager Terry Collins added. “Today he sure did”.
Daniel Murphy also homered for the Mets and all 13 runs produced by the team in the series were via home runs.
Niese (5-8) earned the win after allowing three runs on five hits and no walks while striking out three.
Jeurys Familia pitched the ninth for his 27th save in 29 chances. 500 at the All-Star break for the 10th time in 18 seasons….
“The guys battled”, Hale said. They have obviously some of the best pitchers in the league, starters and obviously late-inning pitchers.
Diamondbacks left fielder David Peralta thought a fan had crossed the boundary and interfered with the ball. He led the Mets to a 5-3 win and a series sweep over Arizona, sending the Mets into the break with a four-game winning streak, seven wins in their last nine games, and with a mere one-game deficit in the Wild Card standings.
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Gold Glove centerfielder Juan Lagares also notably left the game after eight innings with what the injury-plagued Mets revealed as a tight right calf.
