Tylor Megill Deals as the Mets Win in Extras

The Mets sent Tylor Megill to the mound on Wednesday afternoon to try to salvage a win in the series finale against the San Francisco Giants.  

LaMonte Wade Jr. led off for the Giants against Megill and proceeded to ground out sharply to second baseman Jeff McNeil, who threw to Pete Alonso for the first out of the game. Megill then struck out Tommy La Stella swinging on a four-seam fastball. Kris Bryant struck out swinging as well to end the bottom of the first. 

On the first pitch in the second inning, Brandon Belt flew out to left fielder Dominic Smith. The next batter was Brandon Crawford who was out on a fantastic backhanded sliding grab by Smith, again. 

Megill got catcher Curt Casali swinging on a changeup for his third strikeout of the day and the first out of the third. The next batter was Alex Dickerson who singled on a line drive to left field for the Giants’ first hit of the day. After a wild pitch (the first of his season), pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores followed suit with another single to left field, leaving runners on the corners and one out for Wade. The right fielder Wade came through for the Giants and doubled in Dickerson for the first run of the game. Following a mound visit, Megill got La Stella on a groundout and Bryant swinging, again to conclude the inning.

To start his fourth inning of work, Megill struck out Belt for his fifth strikeout. Crawford then flew out to Smith for the second out. After retiring the last four he faced since the Wade RBI double,  Megill walked Mike Yastrzemski but got through the fourth on a forceout by Casali. 

Megill was cruising to start the fifth by getting Dickerson swinging on an 0-2 slider. Pinch-hitter Darin Ruf was next to face Megill and he singled on a sharp ground ball to right fielder Michael Conforto, giving the Giants a baserunner with one out. Wade singled to left field for his second hit off of Megill today, moving Ruf up to second. The scoring threat would be erased as La Stella grounded to third baseman J.D. Davis who started the inning-ending double play. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Megill got Bryant to fly out to center fielder Brandon Nimmo on the first pitch he saw for the out. He then proceeded to give up his second walk of the day to Belt. Two pitches later, Megill got another double play from Crawford started by Alonso. The second inning-ending double play would end Megill’s day on the mound, as Miguel Castro was called upon to start the seventh. 

Tylor Megill’s final line: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K 

After Wednesday’s stellar outing against a potent Giants lineup, the rookie now has a 3.21 ERA over his first 11 major league starts. 

Megill ended up with a no-decision as the bullpen was strong after his departure and the Mets tied the game in the ninth and then ended up winning in the 12th, ending their five-game losing streak. 

Like Stroman on Tuesday night, Megill was another victim of the lack of Mets offense that has led to this downward spiral of this team. Megill has been a standout in this starting rotation as his rookie year continues. But, starting pitching can only take a team so far as mentioned many times prior. Although their scurrying offense came through big in extras on Wednesday for the win, if the Mets want any shot of making the playoffs, starts like Megill’s need to be capitalized on even more.