Mets 5 Padres 1 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)
Mets record: 32-37
Mets streak: Won 4
WP - Jose Quintana (2-5)
LP - Adam Mazur (0-2)
Seat on the Korner: J.D. Martinez
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.
How hot is hot? J.D. Martinez homered twice, giving him 11 RBI in his last seven games, and was on base five times in the game. Martinez has reached base safely in 19 straight games, his longest on-base streak since he had 29 in 2021. He has hit safely in 25 of his last 30 games, with 17 extra-base hits. After a late and slow start, Martinez has rounded into the form the Mets expected when they signed him and has become the fearsome RBI machine the team needed. Take a seat, J.D., and tell us about how it feels to be on such a hot run.
Need to Know
With the win, the Mets have now won five of their last six and eight of their last 10 games. The team notched their 10th series victory of the season, their fifth at home.
The win was the Mets' first wearing their City Connect uniforms.
Brandon Nimmo had two hits for the second straight game, showing signs that he might be breaking out of his slump.
Padres rookie Jackson Merrill's home run in the fifth was his fourth in the last three games and the ninth straight game in which the Padres have homered, the second-longest active home run streak of any team (The Orioles, with a homer Saturday, are at 13 games).
Padres starter Adam Mazur, in the rotation because Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish are on the IL, walked six in the first three innings, but the Mets did not capitalize. It was the first time since 1979 than an NL team had six walks in the first three innings and did not score.
Tylor Megill takes the mound against Dylan Cease in the series finale, a Father's Day matinee.
Turning Point
With the game scoreless and two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo had back-to-back doubles to break the tie. J.D. Martinez then hit the first of his two home runs to give the Mets a lead they never relinquished.
Three Keys
Quintessential Quintana
Jose Quintana showed the form that prompted the Mets to sign him as a free agent before the 2023 season. Quintana's curveball was sharp and he was able to take advantage of home plate ump C.J. Bucknor's wide high strike zone. The only blemishes were a first-inning double by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill's fifth-inning home run. Quintana immediately recovered and struck out the side. He lasted six innings and 88 pitches, much better than his most recent starts, including his 3 2/3 inning cup of tea in London in his last outing.
Lindor's Continued Leadership
Francisco Lindor, who called the team meeting that seemingly was the start of the Mets' turnaround (they are 10-4 since then), continued to lead by example, turning a sparkling defensive play to end the fourth and doubling in the bottom of the frame to start the team on its way to breaking the scoreless tie and set the stage for the win. Over the last 24 games, Lindor has hit .303, with 15 runs, nine doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI.
More Solid Bullpen Work
Dedniel Nunez, where have you been? Two more solid, hitless innings from the middle reliever, followed by a shutdown inning from Reed Garrett, who seems to have regained his early season touch. When Nunez entered the game, it was 3-1, and if this was last month, you know that lead would not have held.