The Mets have made this a thing. We can’t give up on them now. We’re going to have to keep riding this crazy wave until the team is physically, spiritually, and mathematically eliminated from winning the World Series. There’s just too much heart, spirit, and offense on the Mets for fans to give up before then.
Or maybe that’s just me drunk on the Phillies’ bullpen. Just like on Wednesday night, the Mets fell behind early in Philadelphia, and just like Wednesday, Thursday saw them battle back against relief pitching while their own bullpen put bagels on the scoreboard.
New York got off to a hot start last night when Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto started the game with walks against Phillies ace Aaron Nola. Nimmo was eliminated on a fielder’s choice, but Conforto scored on Dominic Smith’s RBI double right before Robinson Cano ripped a single into right to score both Smith and J.D. Davis.
The 3-0 lead didn’t last long, even with Seth Lugo on the mound. The Phillies struck back with four runs in the bottom of the first, including three on back-to-back-to-back (and belly-to-belly-to-belly) home runs by Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm, and Didi Gregorius. Poor Jean Segura was close to making it four in a row, but he had to settle for a triple. Philadelphia extended its lead in the second when Harper hit another monstrous home run and Segura hit an RBI single to score Bohm from second.
The Phillies had scored six unanswered runs, but they wouldn’t score again for the rest of the game. Erasmo Ramirez came on to get the last out of the second inning, which started a parade of great relief pitching. Or maybe it was more like lucky relief pitching. Chasen Shreve was amazing as usual, and Jeurys Familia was okay even though he only threw 15 of his 27 pitches for strikes. But then came Justin Wilson and Edwin Diaz, who each walked two batters — Diaz even plunked one to bring the tying run to the plate in a four-run game — and gave Mets fans the heebie jeebies before finally getting out of their innings unscathed.
Scoreless innings are scoreless innings, though, and they allowed the Mets to work their way back into the game. Thursday’s hero was Brandon Nimmo. After Pete Alonso hit a solo home run in the sixth, Nimmo came through with a two-out, two-run triple to tie the score 6-6. With the score still tied in the ninth, Nimmo crushed a home run to right field off of Philadelphia closer Brandon Workman.
The Mets piled on with a Dominic Smith RBI triple and a two-run home run by Robinson Cano to ensure that Diaz could lose control of all his pitches and still hold onto the lead. Andrew McCutchen came up with the bases loaded, but he grounded out and the Mets won 10-6.
The comeback victory draws New York to within 1.5 games of the National League wild card. The Rockies are now in the rear-view mirror, but Milwaukee, St. Louis, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati all stand in the Mets’ way. 10 games remain on the schedule with three coming against Atlanta, three against Tampa Bay, and four against Washington. Can the Mets go 8-2 over that span? It’s going to be tough given the minefield of a rotation they’re rolling out, but that might be what it takes to make the postseason.
So what else happened in sports last night? The Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Cleveland Browns 35-30 on Thursday Night Football. Cincinnati couldn’t get a stop all night, but Joe Burrow battled all night and brought his team within a touchdown in the final minute. The backdoor cover was secured even though the Browns led by two scores for most of the second half.
We also saw the Lightning advance to the Stanley Cup Final when they beat the Islanders in overtime. I was sweating this one out just from following on my work computer. Playoff hockey is the most intense thing ever. Also, the Heat took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals even though I said I would be shocked if their series with the Celtics didn’t go seven games. I guess that means Boston is a lock in Game 3.
Inside Yolk 