Prior to Tuesday night’s win versus the Washington Nationals, Mets’ manager Mickey Callaway raved about the contributions he’s gotten from Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis off the bench.
“(Smith)and Davis both, when they’re on the bench that day, they’re doing a great job of embracing, staying locked in and being apart of the team atmosphere on the bench,” Callaway said. “I think those are things that are making them successful. They’ve earned the respect of their teammates, their teammates believe in them, and they believe in their teammates. They go out there and get the job done when they’re called upon. ”
That came to full fruition in the game later Tuesday night, after the Mets fell behind 3-1 in the seventh inning.
In the bottom half of the frame, Wilson Ramos singled, then Smith came to the plate as a pinch-hitter and drew a key walk. Davis followed up that at-bat with a pinch-hit appearance of his own, and took full advantage.
With a 1-2 count, Nationals’ reliever, Wander Suero, hung a 1-2 breaking ball which Davis took the other way and tucked it over the right field fence for a go-ahead three-run home run.
On breaking balls this season, Davis is hitting .429 which ranks third in MLB.
“Suero, one of the better guys out of their pen, pretty much a cutter-curveball guy,” Davis said, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “I just tried to do my best to hit more of a line drive to right-center, right field. Just put a good at-bat together. Pinch hits, they’re not easy, so I just went up there and tried to do my best to at least either move the runner over or get on base.”
In the seesaw affair on Tuesday, the Mets received contributions from many, including Pete Alonso who re-tied the game the following frame after the bullpen gave the game right back, and Amed Rosario who busted it down the line to beat out an infield single which won the game.
That seventh inning, however, was the turning point for the Mets, who to that point had mustered up just one run.
Callaway said post-game that even during losing stretches and the lowest moments as a team so far this year, the players have never given up. That was on full display on Tuesday.
“We’re resilient, especially right now,” Davis said. “I know it’s only two wins, but a big two wins for us right now. We’re staying positive and we’re having fun.”
