Yanks Top Mets 8-7 on a Night of Remembrance and Hope

Game number 143 for the New York Mets was different than any other this season. This due to the beautiful ceremony that took place at Citi Field prior to the game. Words cannot describe how touching and beautiful the ceremony was, so if you missed it give it a viewing yourself.

What occurred after the ceremony was something much less important, however, the Mets and New York Yankees did play a baseball game. In the game, Taijuan Walker‘s home run ball woes continued as he gave up three in the second inning. However, he settled in and retired 13 in a row to end his outing. The Mets even erased a five run deficit, but also blew a late two-run lead of their own as they lost once again by one run, 8-7.

The first runs of the game came in the top of the second. Kyle Higashioka tomahawked a two-run shot off a very high fastball out of the zone. With two outs, the Yankees got another two-run home run. The team from Bronx was not done yet, as Aaron Judge hit a towering shot to left field. The Yankees led 5-0 going to the bottom of the second.

Worth noting, after these two home runs, Walker has now allowed 22 home runs over his last 17 starts. In his first 10 starts of the season, he allowed only one.

The Mets were able to respond in a big way in the bottom half. After a Javier Baez walk, Kevin Pillar lined a double down the left field line. James McCann then followed it up with a triple over Judge who was leaping at the wall, the ball could have been easily caught, albeit it would have been a splendid play. The now left-hitting Walker helped himself with a single that drove McCann home. The Mets cut the Yankees lead to 5-3 after two.

After Walker’s first “1-2-3” inning of the game, Baez hit a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning. The shot came 105.1 MPH off the bat and was a rope over the left-field wall. This made it only a one run game, 5-4, after three.

Walker settled in, to say the least. He ended up going six innings, allowing five runs on six hits, while striking out eight. As mentioned above, after the second inning he retired 13 in a row. The final line may not be all that flashy, but after that second inning, Walker looked the best he has in a while, if not all season.

McCann, who had a splendid game, picked his starting pitcher up a half inning after he was removed. He lined a two-run shot off the wall right above the yellow line in left-field indicating a home run. This put Walker in line for the win and the Mets up 6-5 after the sixth.

After a scoreless seventh courtesy of Seth Lugo (1.0 IP, o H, 1 K), the Mets got some insurance. Three straight two-out hits resulted in Baez crossing the plate after a Pillar single. Baez was aggressive in going from first-to-third on a McNeil single just an at-bat earlier.

However, the insurance sadly was not enough. Judge hit his second two-run home run of the game, this off the entered Trevor May (0.0, 3 H, 3 R). Unfortunately, May departed the game without recording an out and with a blown save.

Aaron Loup (1.0, 1 H, 1 K) replaced May the game with a man on first and no outs. He got the ground ball he desperately needed, but Baez throw the ball high and the go-ahead Yankee run came across the plate. The Mets now trailed 8-7 going to the bottom half of the eighth.

 

The Mets got two on, with two out in the bottom of the eighth. It brought Pete Alonso, who was 0-4 at the time with two strikeouts, to the plate. Alonso hit a long fly ball that went 391-feet to straight away center. However, it found Brett Gardner‘s glove. Alonso missed a three-run, go-ahead home run by just feet.

After a hitless inning from Brad Hand, the Mets came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, once again trailing by one run. Baez, J.D. Davis (pinch hit for McNeil), and Pillar led off against the struggling Aroldis Chapman.

Baez lined out on a nice diving play by Judge in right, then Davis hit a ground-rule double down the right-field line. Pillar followed with a  strike out on a pitch in the dirt. He was late running to first as the base was unoccupied and the ball got away from Higashioka. He was thrown out by a step and it could have easily been first and third with one out if Pillar did not hesitate.

McCann ultimately flied out to right to end the game. Worth pointing out, if Pillar hustled that ball out, Davis could have easily come home with the tying run on the fly ball. Nonetheless, the Mets lost 8-7 and once again failed to capitalize on an Atlanta Braves’ loss.

The Mets and Yankees series will come to an end tomorrow night at 8:05 PM ET. Going into the final matchup of the season, the Mets have taken three of the first of five. The expected pitching matchup is currently undetermined as the Yankees have yet to name a starter. However, the Mets are confirmed to be going with Carlos Carrasco (5.88 ERA).

Mets’ Player of The Game

Despite the loss and game-ending at-bat, McCann had arguably his strongest game as a Met. He tripled in the second inning which continued a rally that helped cut the Mets’ 5-0 deficit. He then hit a two-run home run that gave the Mets a lead. He also was terrific behind the plate, helping Walker settle down after a rough second and sit down 13 consecutive Yankee hitters. His final line read: 2/4, HR, 3 RBIs, 1 BB.