It’s a relatively easy schedule, and the Mets want to continue their torrid performance and bring it to the playoffs.
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The 43-year-old limited the Twins to three singles in seven innings, Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera hit consecutive home runs off rookie Jose Berrios in the third, and NY beat Minnesota 3-0 Friday night in the opener of the Mets’ final homestand this season.
Of course, there’s no money-back guarantee that every game is a sure “W”. He volunteered to pitch on short rest at the end of July so the Mets wouldn’t have to use a spot starter. He spun seven shutout innings as the Mets defeated the MLB-worst Twins, 3-0, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out six.
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. NY could use a boost from outfielder Jay Bruce, who is batting.192 in 36 games since he was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds.
The New York Mets are trying not to think about the possibility of hosting the National League wild-card game and instead focusing on just getting into the playoffs. St. Louis played at San Francisco Friday night. “I think it’s going to be there for a long time”.
The Twins aren’t in a great position, now at 55-93. DeGrom has been dealing with forearm soreness and last started on September 1.
“And in the last inning, same type of thing”. 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.
Reyes got the Mets going, opening the third by pulling a drive over the right-field fence, No. 7 of the season for No. 7.
Dodgers 3, D’backs 2 • Kenta Maeda limited host Arizona to a run on three hits over five innings, and Los Angeles held on for a victory. It marked Cabrera’s 20th homer, his 19th while playing shortstop. The move backfired as Cespedes laced an RBI single to center to tie the game at one.
Cespedes tried for a nonchalant basket catch on Max Kepler’s soft leadoff fly to left in the fourth only to have the ball tick off the webbing of his glove for an error.
“We talked to Noah; he actually thought he could use an extra day after the other night”, Collins said. “I was telling some of these young guys just to kind of watch him tonight”.
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Collins said the Mets will turn to a “plethora” of relievers to get through Sunday’s game against the Twins. Manager Paul Molitor opted not to shift Berrios to the bullpen after he fell to 0-5 over his last six turns, lasting 2 2/3 innings against the Indians. This was trademark Colon, mixing high-80s fastballs to both sides of the plate, working ahead, and keeping the ball down, at the knees or below.
