NY rookie Gabriel Ynoa (ya-no-ah) struck out eight batters over four-and-two-thirds innings in his first Major League start to pace the Mets past the Minnesota Twins yesterday, 3-2. The 23-year-old, who had been working out of the bullpen, allowed one run on four hits over 4.2 innings work.
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NY took a 3-1 lead when Rivera opened the third by sending Gibson’s 2-2 pitch over the left field wall for his second career home run.
Three of the four young pitchers who helped the Mets reach their first World Series since 2000 are on the disabled list, two are out for the season and neither Matt Harvey, Steven Matz or Jacob deGrom have pitched since September 1.
The Twins made another comeback attempt in the eighth, when Vargas launched a solo homer (8) off Fernando Salas to cut the lead to one.
Ynoa understands: Right-hander Gabriel Ynoa allowed four hits, one run and one walk and struck out eight in his first career start. I’m just trying to find a hole, get a little bit of grass, pass it to the next guy in the lineup to hopefully, be able to manufacture a run. He’s not in the mix for the Cy Young Award, but he is a huge reason that the Mets are sitting in a playoff spot with 15 games to play and only teams with losing records remaining on their schedule.
Collins brought in lefty Josh Edgin to face Logann Schafer, who also singled to left.
DeGrom will need surgery but has not decided whether he will wait until the end of the season. New York’s collective psyche received a boost Friday with the news that Jacob deGrom would start the series finale, only to find out the next day that he will require elbow surgery.”I actually watched Jake’s bullpen yesterday and it was outstanding”, Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters Saturday.
Collins said LHP Steve Matz (left shoulder tightness) could take this rotation turn the next time it comes up, which would be his first appearance since August 14. “He said the game is pretty fast up here”.
Minnesota, a major league-worst 55-93, is making its first visit to Citi Field since 2010.
A sacrifice fly by John Ryan Bob Joe Walker Murphy gave the Twins their first run of the game in the 2nd.
Second baseman Neil Walker, out for the rest of the year after undergoing surgery to fix a herniated disk in his back, said he was open to discussing a multi-year contract with the Mets before going on the free-agent market.
“I don’t know what the lineup is going to look like tomorrow”, Collins said. Walker, who is a free agent after this season, said he has not discussed a new contract with the Mets but also described being in NY as a “great fit.”.
Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets during the eleventh inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, in New York.
The loss hurt the Twins Ervin Santana’s stellar performance, striking out 9 and walking 2 in seven innings pitched. Dozier had extended his hitting streak to 22 games with a fifth-inning single that chased Ynoa.
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Cleanup hitter Michael Conforto plopped a two-run single into center and Kelly Johnson then walked to re-load the bases.
