Mets 9, Nationals 1 (Nationals Park, Washington, DC)
Mets Record: 27-35
Mets Streak: W3
Mets Last 10: 5-5
Winning Pitcher: Luis Severino (4-2)
Losing Pitcher: Patrick Corbin (1-7)
Seat On The Korner: Luis Torrens
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Today's Seat on the Korner goes to catcher Luis Torrens, who played like his spot on the roster depended on how he did in this game (and it might). Torrens hit two home runs and threw out Jesse Winker, who tried to steal second in the fifth inning -- the second runner he threw out in this series. With Francisco Alvarez scheduled to come off the IL when the Mets return from London next Tuesday, Torrens -- recently acquired from the Yankees -- certainly made the decision on whether to keep him or Tomas Nido on the roster more difficult. Take a seat, Luis, and state your case.
Need To Know
The Mets' sweep of the Nationals was their third this season and the first road sweep since July of last year, when they swept the Diamondbacks.
After a 90-minute weather delay, both teams played like they had planes to catch, getting through the first five innings in less than an hour and the whole game in 2:06. That meant that the Mets, who DID have a plane to catch, would probably not arrive in London at an unreasonable hour .
J.D. Martinez singled in the six-run sixth to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
Tyrone Taylor tripled in the fifth, the Mets ' fifth triple in the last six games after hitting only one through their first 56 games.
Jose Iglesias again started at second base., although manager Carlos Mendoza continued to maintain that Jeff McNeil is the team's regular second sacker. Mendoza said the extra day off gave McNeil "an opportunity to continue to work on the things he needs to be working on, which he is."
Turning Point
With the game at 2-0 and both pitchers cruising as if they had dinner reservations and wanted to make up for the 90-minute delayed start, Luis Torrens and Francisco Lindor went back-to-back, opening the floodgates for what became a six-run sixth for the Mets. So call Lindor's homer the actual turning point; it was all coasting after that.
Three Keys
Splendid Sevy
For a while, it looked as if Luis Severino was on his way to a complete-game shutout, with several innings in which his pitch count didn't hit double digits. In the end, he only lasted eight and eventually did surrender a run in the eighth. It was the second time Severino has gone eight. He has proved to be all the Mets could have hoped for when they took a chance on the talented, but oft-injured hurler, and with Kodai Senga still on the IL, he is clearly the ace of the staff.
Big-time Bader
Harrison Bader continued his birthday celebration by batting in three runs, one with a sacrifice fly and two on a double. All told, Bader had 7 RBI in the series, and now has 16 RBI in his last 20 games, after having only seven in his first 35 games of the season.
Field(ers) Day
Both teams brought their gloves to the game, with several players flashing a lot of leather to prevent extra-base hits and to turn double plays. For the Mets, Pete Alonso was a one-man highlight reel, stopping balls to both his left and right and chalking up an unassisted double play, one of three DPs the Mets turned. For the Nationals, center fielder Jacob Young led the way with several spectacular catches. But it was a good day in the field for both teams overall, which contributed to the quick game time.
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