The New York Mets (58-56) are now winners of 12 out of their last 13 games after beating the Miami Marlins by a 5-0 score on Tuesday night at Citi Field. (Box Score)
Pitching
Looks like the Mets were right to denand a lot for Zack Wheeler in trade demands, as he continues to remind everyone what a solid part of the rotation he continues to be.
Wheeler gave up a one-out double in the first to Jon Piazza, sorry Jon Berti. Wheeler managed to escape the jam by getting some soft outs though.
Garrett Cooper began the second inning with a single but Wheeler eliminated that threat by getting a double play out of Lewis Brinson. It was a similar story in the third, Wheeler gave up a single to his counterpart, Hector Noesi but got Miguel Rojas to hit into a double play.
In the fourth, Berti led off the inning with a double. Wheeler locked in though and got Isan Diaz to strikeout and then got a few ground outs to end the frame.
The fifth was similar to the second and third. Brinson singled but then the Wheeler got Alfaro to ground into a double play. It was not pretty but Wheeler settled in when he needed to and the Marlins did not hit the ball particularly hard.
In the sixth, Wheeler had a man on and looked like he induced another double play ball. Unfortunately, Guillorme could not handle the throw and it put two runners on for Miami. Wheeler did not get fazed though. He struck out Diaz and Brian Anderson consecutively to escape the jam.
The seventh began with hits from Cooper and Starlin Castro. Zack proceeded to get Brinson to hit into a force-out, strike out Alfaro. and got Harold Ramirez to line out. Wheeler did his best magician performance tonight.
Despite a lot of baserunners, Wheeler had a relatively low pitch count. This compelled Callaway to send him out for the eighth inning. He began by walking Curtis Granderson but the Mets left him in. Berti chopped a ball to third which Todd Frazier made a nice barehand play on for the first out. Wheeler then got Diaz swinging again and got Anderson to line out to end his night.
He had thrown 17 scoreless innings since the trade deadline. His final line tonight was: 8 IP, 8 H, BB, 5 K.
Robert Gsellman pitched the ninth. He allowed a couple of baserunners but the theme of the night was double plays. Because Gsellman got Alfaro to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and make it five in a row for New York.
Offense
It was not their best lineup but the Mets found a way. J.D. Davis and Pete Alonso both reached with one-out in the first inning. Cleanup hitter, Wilson Ramos could not cash them in but Todd Frazier provided a two-out double to give the Mets an early 1-0 lead.
The Mets began the third with walks from Jeff McNeil and Davis. Alonso struck out but Wilson Ramos mashed a three-run homer (style points for a bat flip too).
The Mets next run came in the fifth with a solo homer courtesy from Pete Alonso. It was his 36th on the year. Three shy of Cody Bellinger‘s record for a rookie and five shy of the single season Mets record.
The Mets did have a chance to add on in the seventh. McNeil singled with two-outs and Davis doubled but Alonso went down swinging to end the inning. Luis Guillorme added a double as he tries to make a case for a few starts.
McNeil got on base three times tonight. His live slash is .340/.406/.533.
On Deck
There is blood in the water. The Mets will go for six in a row and the sweep Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. ET with Steven Matz on the mound.
