FLUSHING - I don't want to continue to harp on the previous week's misfortunes, but picking up a 10-4 win here to salvage a four-game split with the Pirates was timely on a number of levels.
The victory marks the second straight, pushes the Mets' National-League leading record to 30-17 and, most importantly, builds on momentum as the Diamondbacks come to town. We got an axe to grind with Arizona after being swept in the desert last week.
Notable offensive showings by Rene Rivera, Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo. Rivera compiled three hits in his spot start behind the dish, McNeil, who committed his seventh error (which feels like all were botched in the last week), atoned with two hits and two RBI and Nimmo, who we've been waiting for his bat to heat up, had two hits, scored twice and raised his average 15 points to .215.
Tip of the cap to Noah Syndergaard. His pitch count was up from the start, but Thor grinded out 5.2 innings with eight Ks against eight hits to improve to 3-2. Also, gotta acknowledge the bullpen. We are currently strapped for arms but Daniel Zamora, Robert Gsellman, Jeurys Familia and Dellan Betances absorbed outs to get us through eight and had to call on Edwin Diaz, in a non-save situation, to finish it. With Seth Lugo shelved, the pen is thin. Going to be making a move today with Lugo heading to IL and Paul Sewald getting the call-up from Syracuse.
