Kelly Johnson just always seems to have a knack for getting some clutch hits for this team. Saturday night was no different, putting the final dagger into the Phillies in a 12-1 blowout.
Johnson would be called upon to pinch-hit for Noah Syndergaard with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning. He would reward Terry Collins with his fifth career grand slam. The homer was his ninth of the season and his fourth pinch-hit dinger of the year. The Mets manager believes something special is starting to happen with this team.
“There’s some confidence in there right now,” Collins said. “Some guys are coming through that hadn’t been coming through. We’ve been talking endlessly about not getting hits with runners in scoring position. Right now, we are. It looks like a completely different team . . . The the energy’s just different in the room right now.” (Newsday)
With the team’s four home runs Saturday, the Mets have hit 50 home runs in their last 30 home games and 87 home runs at Citi Field this season to set a single-season record at Citi Field, passing the 85 home runs hit last season at Citi. The team has also hit grand slams in consecutive games since July of 2006, when Carlos Beltran provided both.
As things start to turn around for the 2016 campaign, all are seeming to be getting hot at the right time. This lineup could ne near unstoppable if Jay Bruce is able to turn it around as well. We are in for a crazy final five weeks of the season as the Mets trail that second Wild Card by just 2.5 games.
