The Mets (65-60) continued their winning ways at Citi Field, taking the first of a three-game set against the Cleveland Indians by a score of 9-2. The win improved their record to 35-21 at home, the third-best record in the National League. (Box Score)
Pitching
Steven Matz (8-7, 4.18 ERA) had his third consecutive solid start, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. It was a very solid start for Matz, who had seven strikeouts, six of which were looking. With the win, he improved his record to a perfect 6-0 at Citi Field this season. The Mets already have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, and they have a great shot of making the playoffs if they can maintain this type of consistency from Matz.
Mickey Callaway decided to pull Matz in a situation that could have gone either way, but unlike in his last start, the decision ended up to be the right one.
Callaway decided to go with another lefty, Justin Wilson, who proceeded to strike out two batters with runners on first and second to keep the Mets lead at 4-2.
Luis Avilan pitched a scoreless eighth before giving way to Paul Sewald, who entered in a mop roll with the Mets up by seven runs.
Sewald tossed a scoreless ninth in his return to the Mets.
Steven Matz‘s final line was: 6.1 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 7 Ks, 1 HR, 2 BB. He threw 98 pitches, 58 of which were strikes. He now has a 4.18 ERA.
Offense
With an early solo home run by Jason Kipnis in the second giving the Indians a 1-0 lead, the offense responded by the way of J.D. Davis, who put the Mets in front 2-1. Davis, who had missed the previous two games with a calf injury, drove an 0-1 pitch from Shane Bieber well over the center field wall for a two-run home run.
After the Indians tied things up in the fourth with a Kipnis single that drove in Yasiel Puig, the offense once again responded in a big way. The offense was able to capitalize on a pivotal error by Indians left-fielder Oscar Mercado that put Joe Panik to first when with Michael Conforto hit another two-run shot off Bieber in the sixth.
They did not stop there, as the Mets exploded for four more runs in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run double of the bat of Pete Alonso. With that double (26), Alonso recorded his 96th and 97th RBI of the season.
Amed Rosario had two hits and a walk in the game, his average is up to .293 for the season with a .784 OPS.
Wilson Ramos extended his hitting streak to 14 games in a 1-for-4 effort. Davis, Alonso, and Conforto all drove in two runs.
On Deck
The Mets are back at it tomorrow against the Indians in their second game of the home stand. Right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman (7-11, 3.21 ERA) will face off against Indians right-hander Adam Plutko (5-3, 4.67 ERA). In his last outing on August 15, Stroman secured a win against the Braves, giving up three runs on four hits over five innings, leading the Mets to a 10-8 victory.
Plutko also won his last start, posting similar stats as Stroman, with three runs over six innings against the Yankees on August 15.
Tomorrow’s game is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. EDT on SNY.
