The New York Mets (44-37) defeated the Chicago Cubs (51-30) by a score of 14-3 this afternoon at Citi Field, and in the process, completed the four game sweep over Chicago. However, the Nationals also won today, so the Mets were not able to make up any ground in the standings and remain five games back of Washington.
Offense:
After the Cubs got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first inning, the Mets answered right back as Curtis Granderson launched his 14th homer of the year to left field.
In the second inning, the Mets busted the game wide open as they tagged Cubs starter Jon Lester for seven more runs, and subsequently chased Lester from the game after only 1.1 innings.
Wilmer Flores hit a solo home run, which was followed by a double from Matt Reynolds who promptly scored on another big fly from Rene Rivera. 4-1 Mets.
Noah Syndergaard then walked, and Juan Lagares doubled to put two runners in scoring position for Curtis Granderson.
Granderson drove in Lagares with a single, which put runners at the corners with still no outs for Yoenis Cespedes.
Cespedes chipped in with a single of his own to plate Syndergaard from third. 6-1 Mets.
Jon Lester threw a wild pitch, so the runners each moved up a base to put two runners in scoring position. Neil Walker and Wilmer Flores then each drove in a run in the next two at-bats to make it 8-1.
This was the straw that broke the camel’s back as Lester was pulled from the game. The veteran lefty surrendered eight runs and nine hits, while allowing three home runs in only 1.1 innings, the shortest outing of Lester’s career.
In the fourth inning, Rene Rivera drove in another run on a base hit to right to plate the Mets ninth run of the game.
Then in the fifth inning, the Mets broke double digits on a two-run home run from Wilmer Flores, the second of the game for Flores and fifth of the season.
Brandon Nimmo pinched hit for Yoenis Cespedes in the seventh and was hit by a pitch, which was followed by yet another big fly, this time from Kelly Johnson who was pinch hitting for Neil Walker. This would make it 13-1 Mets.
In the eighth inning, with position player Miguel Montero pitching, Wilmer Flores recorded his sixth hit of the game, which tied a franchise record set by Edgardo Alfonzo for hits in a game.
James Loney followed up Flores’ hit with an RBI single to bring home the fourteenth Mets run of the game.
Pitching:
With the offensive explosion today, you could forget how good of a game Noah Syndergaard tossed this afternoon. Syndergaard pitch seven strong innings, allowing just the one run in the first, while striking out eight and succeeding in not walking a batter.
Antonio Bastardo relieved Syndergaard in the eighth in a very low leverage situation (as it should be for Bastardo at this point). Bastardo allowed one hit, but did get through the eighth unscathed.
Logan Verrett came on to pitch the ninth, and quickly surrendered a solo homer to Willson Contreras, and a run to score later in the inning on a wild pitch, Verrett was finally able to seal the win for the Mets.
On deck:
The Mets start a three game series at home against the Miami Marlins starting tomorrow. Matt Harvey (4-10, 4.55 ERA) gets the ball for the opener, and is opposed by New Rochelle native Tom Koehler (6-7, 4.45 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 PM.
