The Mets had several reasons to be happy on Friday. Mets RHP Jacob deGrom (right forearm) will start Sunday’s series finale. And if we do, we’ll get back in the hunt. LHP Steven Matz (shoulder tightness) is to throw a bullpen Saturday; he has not pitched since August 14. The Twins’ starting lineup entered Friday with 22 combined at-bats against 43-year-old Mets RHP Bartolo Colon. Lugo has won his last four starts -including last Sunday, when he gave up two runs over seven innings in a 10-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves – and is 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA in five starts since joining the rotation August 19, a stretch in which NY is 18-8. He helped himself in the first when he turned a slick double play, and later in the game he weaved his way out of a bases loaded situation.
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The Mets (78-69) are two games ahead of St. Louis for the second wild-card spot.
The Mets are one game behind the Giants (79-68) in the race for the first wild card.
Whether it has been his helmet falling off at the plate, spectacular defensive plays, a dinger, or, most amazingly, his ageless dominance on the bump, Bartolo has become a fan favorite across America, let alone NY.
Then Yoenis Cespedes bounced an RBI single into center in the seventh.
“I said it a while ago, with all that happened this year, if we didn’t have him in our rotation, I don’t know where we would be right now”.
The veteran has been amenable to helping the team whenever possible.
Such a performance would be noteworthy coming from any rookie, but especially from Lugo, a 26-year-old former 34th-round draft pick who had a 6.50 ERA in 21 games (14 starts) this season at Triple-A Las Vegas, which plays in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
“This is Major League Baseball”, Collins said. He’s an incredible guy. I think I’ve given you more than enough here. “I was telling some of these young guys just to kind of watch him tonight”.
Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera’s back-to-back homers to begin the third inning gave the Mets all the offense they needed. Bartolo Colon, like Ol’ Man River, keeps on rollin’ along.
Travis d’Arnaud struck out in the sixth, stranding James Loney at second, and is hitting.109 (5 for 46) with runners in scoring position.
“We talked to Noah; he actually thought he could use an extra day after the other night”, Collins said.
“We just keep looking at him and wondering when it’s not going to happen anymore, and I’m not sure anybody has an idea”, Mets manager Terry Collins said of Colon, who has a 2.21 ERA since August 1, spanning nine starts.
Colon lowered his ERA to 3.14 with the strong start tonight.
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The hefty, 43-year-old right-hander continued to be a marvel Friday night, tossing seven shutout innings in the Mets’ 3-0 victory over the Twins to open a 10-game homestand at Citi Field. The manager said he looked at the morning paper and saw Minnesota had beaten Detroit and Tampa Bay had edged Baltimore.
