Angels 3 Mets 1 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)
Mets record: 59-70
Mets streak: Lost 3
WP - Pablo Sandoval (7-10)
LP - Kodai Senga (10-7)
SV - Carlos Estevez (27)
Seat on the Korner:
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.
I feel like this was one where even though Ohtani's stat line wasn't eye-popping, he had a key enough night where he would have been invited into the studio tonight to be interviewed by Ralph. Heck, his presence enough would have warranted an interview, but his three walks and especially his double were good enough to help the Angels to victory.
Need to Know
Kodai Senga was brilliant, striking out 10 in 6 and 2/3's innings in 105 pitches, giving up three walks and two third inning runs on a sac fly by Brandon Drury and a single by Mike Moustakas.
The only person who Senga couldn't solve, of course, was Shohei Ohtani, who hit a double in the third inning which led to those two Angels runs, and walked twice against Senga (and walked a third time intentionally in the 9th.) Only Adam Kolarek was able to retire him, getting him to ground out hard to first base.
Patrick Sandoval walked four in his six innings, but he only gave up two hits, including a homer to Francisco Lindor, and struck out seven.
Lindor's home run was the Mets' first hit of the game, and their only run. It was Lindor's 24th homer of the season.
Nolan Ryan Schanuel drove in an insurance run in the ninth on a bloop single off Brooks Raley to make it 3-1.
The Mets loss, combined with the Nationals' victory, has put the Mets into sole possession of last place in the N.L. East.
Turning Point
Let's analyze the 7th inning, shall we? Because it was an inning full of turning points.
Danny Mendick leads off with a double off Matt Moore, who came in for the starter Sandoval. Jonathan Arauz lays down a sac bunt which Logan O'Hoppe bobbled, putting runners on first and third with nobody out.
Tim Locastro attempts a safety squeeze on the first pitch, and he fouls it off. As it probably woke the Angels up to the possibility of the squeeze, Locasto swings away for the next two pitches, and strikes out.
Then with one out and Francisco Lindor on deck, Brandon Nimmo flies out to not-so-deep left field. Joey Cora sends Mendick home, and Randal Grichuk threw a perfect strike, though he didn't have to as it wasn't even close.
Three Keys
Kodai puts on a show: Tonight was Japanese Heritage Night at Citi Field. No doubt that it was no coincidence that it was held while the Angels were in town to capitalize on the appearance of Shohei Ohtani.
But Senga put on a show for the fans tonight, with his ghost fork fooling the Angels left and right (and mostly down). Even though he took the loss tonight, to see him continue to acclimate to major league hitters has been a treat to see, and he'll only get better next season.
But Shohei showed out: Let's not forget about why an Angels/Mets game in late August with two teams on the verge of oblivion was packed tonight. Ohtani wasn't his usual breathless self, but he walked twice against Senga as he was one of the few who was patient against him (having seen him in NPB helped.)
Shohei's double was the key play in the Angels' two run third, and it showed how talented he is. He went down to hit a cutter low in the zone and hit a laser beam past Jeff McNeil which led to a sac fly and an RBI hit to give the Angels two.
Can't forget about Sandoval: With all the hulabaloo about Shohei and Senga, Patrick Sandoval quietly had a good night. He walked four in six innings, but only gave up two hits, including the homer to Lindor, and got big outs when he needed them. He worked around trouble in the second by striking out the side ...
... and he ended his night by getting D.J. Stewart looking with a runner on first.
Sure, he got a little help from Jeremie Rehak on that pitch, but Sandoval had a good night. (And Rehak had a horrible night ... on both sides.)
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