The Mets returned to Citi Field after a 4-6 road trip that took them to Los Angeles, St. Louis, Colorado, and Seattle. After the grueling travel, they returned to New York for the only nine games that they will play at home in the month of August.
The home stand started with a three-game set against the Oakland Athletics (A’s). The A’s won two of three, including a comeback from a 5-0 deficit in the rubber match of the series. Following the A’s series, the Mets record is 62-59. They are still on the outside looking in to the third Wild Card spot in the National League, behind the Atlanta Braves.
Despite the series loss, there is still a different feeling with this Mets team. In honor of playing the A’s, the “A” word of the day is Attitude. It is infectious, both when it’s good and bad. It also usually comes from the top, from the team’s leaders, and permeates the rest of the team.
Francisco Lindor has been a good leader for the Mets this season. Despite his comments earlier this year about missing winning in Cleveland, he has been everything the Mets have needed. He plays every day, and brings Gold Glove-caliber defense. He moved to the leadoff spot in the lineup and has been spectacular from that spot. He has also been a leader, which is what the Mets have sorely needed. His team meeting earlier this year provided a huge spark that carried the team back into Wild Card contention. As icing on the cake, the positive attitude of the second game also included Lindor’s 100th home run as a member of the Mets.
In the second game of the series, Jesse Winker had delivered a single in the second inning. While simple on the surface, this ended up being another nice sign of the good attitude of the Mets. His celebration ignited the Mets and he would subsequently score the game’s first run later in the inning. While Winker has not been lights out since joining the Mets, as we wrote about when the Mets acquired Winker, his attitude will be a plus for the team.
Rewinding a game, to the first game of the series, A’s reliever Austin Adams mocked the OMG celebration that has unified the Mets this season. Adams failed to make the Mets squad in Spring Training, and obviously had some extra motivation to perform well. While he stated there was no offense intended, the Mets did not see it that way. Instead of rolling over, it ignited the team based on their collective……attitude.
While the positive attitude and vibes have come and gone throughout the season, the attitude overall seems to be in a much better place than in prior years. This can be traced to two people in particular, first-year manager Carlos Mendoza and should-be captain Lindor.
Game 1: A’s 9, Mets 4
The A’s jumped on their former teammate to start the series in New York on the right foot. Paul Blackburn, who was one of the Mets main trade deadline acquisitions this year, was beaten by the only other team he had been a part of. This was the first loss Blackburn suffered as a Met, and ironically a big game was contributed by his former battery mate Shea Langeliers. Austin Adams, a reliever who failed to make the Mets out of spring training, even trolled the OMG celebration of the Mets while coming off the field in the fifth.
The Mets offense did score more in this game than they did in the whole series in Seattle, by a factor of four. However, they were playing catchup throughout the whole game, falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first. Jose Iglesias put the Mets on the board in the second with an RBI single. In the fifth, with the score 7-1 in favor of the A’s, Winker drove in a run, followed by a two-RBI single by Pete Alonso. For Alonso, the hit broke an 0 for 15 slide. Iglesias, Winker, and Lindor had two hits each. Alonso and Jeff McNeil each struck out three times.
Blackburn only went four innings for the Mets, throwing 82 pitches. He allowed seven runs (six earned) with two walks and four strikeouts. Bullpen standout Jose Butto gave up his first runs since July 29th, surrendering two runs over two innings. This was followed by one scoreless inning each from Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton, and Edwin Díaz (who was in the game to get some work after last appearing on August 7th).
Langeliers was the star for Oakland, with four hits in four at-bats. He fell short of the cycle by a triple, while driving in four runs. It was the second straight four for four game for Langeliers. Seth Brown started things off for the A’s, with a three-run double in the top of the first. Brent Rooker chipped in two hits.
A’s starter Joe Boyle pitched into the fifth, but did not record an out in that inning. His final line was four innings with four runs on seven hits and three walks with six strikeouts. Adams came in and got out of the jam in the fifth, earning his first win of the season. A scoreless inning each came from Scott Alexander (sixth inning), Michel Otanez (seventh), T.J. McFarland (eighth), and Tyler Ferguson (ninth) to finish it off.
Game 2: Mets 9, A’s 1
The Mets responded to losing the first game of the A’s series with one of their best efforts of the season. Alonso had his first four for four game of the season, and David Peterson was dominant on the mound.
Alonso’s four hits included his 26th home run of the season, and with his three RBIs he now has 68 on the year. Slightly ahead of him is Lindor, who drove in two on the day to bring his total to 69 which included his 23rd home run of the season. Mark Vientos, J.D. Martinez, and Brandon Nimmo each had an RBI each as well. As a whole, the lineup had six hits in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
On the mound, Peterson had one of his best starts of the season. He pitched into the seventh inning before giving up his first run and getting taken out of the game. Peterson has quietly been dominant throughout the season, and his start brought his record to 7-1 with a 3.04 ERA. He was relieved by Huascar Brazoban to finish off the last 0.2 innings of the seventh, while Danny Young tossed a scorless eighth and Adam Ottavino a scoreless ninth.
For Oakland, Miguel Andujar and Darell Hernaiz had two hits each. JJ Bleday and Tyler Nevin each contributed a single. The A’s only run was scored on a sacrifice fly by Daz Cameron. Daz is the son of former Met Mike Cameron.
On the mound, Joey Estes got the start for Oakland. He went 5.1 innings and was charged with three runs on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts. McFarland had 0.2 scoreless innings. Will Klein was up next, going only 0.2 innings and getting tagged with five runs. Ross Stripling went the final 1.2 innings and gave up one run.
Game 3: A’s 7, Mets 6
The rubber match of the series was a back and forth roller coaster, and a very long game at that. Vientos delivered two home runs for New York while Bleday drove in four for Oakland on a grand slam. After the Mets took a 5-0 lead, the A’s came back to win 7-6 and take the series. With the tying run on base in the bottom of the ninth, Alonso popped out, Iglesias walked, and Alvarez lined out to end it.
Vientos hit his 18th and 19th home runs of the season. Lindor had a hit in his ninth straight game, and in his 13th of the last 14 contests. Iglesias was the only other Mets hitter with multiple hits (two singles).
Quintana took the mound for New York, and while his start was not efficient it ended up not being very effective either. Quintana only lasted four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and four walks with one strikeout. Brazoban took the fifth inning and gave up a run. Reed Garrett came on for the sixth and below the lead in giving up two runs in his inning of work. Maton pitched a scoreless seventh, giving way to Stanek for a scoreless eighth. Diaz came on for a scoreless ninth. The Mets walked 11 batters on the game.
For the A’s, Langeliers stayed hot at the plate, delivering three hits in four at-bats. Bleday had his four RBIs across three hits, including the momentum-changing grand slam. Nevin and Brown delivered two hits and one RBI each.
Mitch Spence got the start for Oakland. He only lasted 2.2 innings, charged with five runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout. Otanez took the next 1.1 innings and gave up an additional run. Ferguson followed with two shutout innings, and Alexander had a scoreless frame of his own. All-Star closer Mason Miller came on in the eighth inning, earning a two-inning save.
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