The Mets (64-63) open a 10-game homestand Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, a stretch that could be critical in determining whether they will get to defend their NL championship. The injury likely brings to an end Niese’s second stint with the Mets – one that will be remembered as considerably less successful than his first tenure.
Advertisement
Chuckling, he said: “Let’s wait until next game”.
And when it ended Thursday night with a 10-6 win, they cemented themselves in the race. “We’ve got to continue that”. In his second Major League start, the 26-year-old allowed two hits and three walks while striking out five.
“He knows his role”, Collins said of De Aza.
“These last two were frustrating, but I’ve got another one [Monday], so I have to get ready for that one”, deGrom said. The Cardinals went on to win for the seventh time in nine games.
The righthander departed with what the team called a cramp in his right calf, a minor issue that shouldn’t affect his ability to make his next start.
It was his second start for the Mets, having tossed 6.2 innings of three-run ball against the Giants last week. He has proven unafraid to attack hitters, a sign of growing confidence in his arsenal.
“I told the guys on the infield if we can’t catch a break pretty soon… every time I turn around something unexpected is popping up”, Collins said. But much of the damage came too late to matter. The Mets allow 3.9 runs per game, but have damaged those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 5.8 runs per game during that span.
If Matz is unable to return on Tuesday and Lugo can’t take his next turn, the Mets will nearly certainly have to find someone off the scrap heap to make a start. Moments later, Alejandro De Aza hit a three-run homer to make it 7-0. As a group of Cardinals went after the ball, Wainwright covered third base.
See how Cespedes’ foot pins Adam Wainwright’s glove to the base? But when Wainwright retreated, the glove slipped off the pitcher’s hand. They probably should have compromised and called him safe but then punished Cespedes by making him remove his cleats and play barefoot the rest of the game so as not to cause any more trouble.
Greg Garcia and Molina later had RBI singles. The Mets entered the season hopeful Wheeler would return by July and perhaps bump Bartolo Colon to the bullpen. “We couldn’t afford to have him blow it out, so we took him out”.
De Aza, maligned early in the season by fans, filled the offensive void in their absence.
For the Mets, it was one of those nights.
Advertisement
“The biggest thing for me is keeping from getting behind in the counts and having to throw pitches over the middle of the plate”, Lugo said. “I think it has to do with the way the swelling is dispersing through my muscle or whatever”. “Once I got it, I got a little bit excited”.
