The Mets offense showed up after Friday’s rain out, recording 14 hits against the Yankees in an 8-3 win on Saturday afternoon.
Here are the key takeaways …
– In his first game in two months, Brandon Nimmo hit a leadoff single to left field off of Jordan Montgomery in the first inning. Francisco Lindor then walked, but Montgomery put the next three Mets down to escape without damage.
– Taijuan Walker retired the first five Yankees’ hitters before walking Gleyber Torres in the second inning. He struck out Gio Urshela for his third K of the day to end the side. In the top of the third with one out, Lindor singled to left field and moved to second on Dom Smith‘s single to right. Both advanced a base on a passed ball, but would be left stranded, as Pete Alonso and James McCann both struck out.
– Walker breezed through the bottom of the third, only allowing a walk to Brett Gardner. He then posted a 1-2-3 fourth inning, including a strikeout of slugger Giancarlo Stanton.
– Nimmo and Lindor both singled again to begin the top of the fifth inning, and Nimmo would score on Smith’s ground ball single to center field, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. Alonso walked to load the bases, and it would be the last batter Montgomery faced. McCann hit a broken-bat single off of Lucas Luetge to center to make it a 2-0 game. Luetge then threw a wild pitch, allowing Smith to score, as the Mets took a 3-0 lead.
– Jeff McNeil, Jose Peraza, and Nimmo all singled to load the bases in the sixth. Lindor then drew a walk to make it 4-0 — the 12th bases loaded walk for the Mets this season. Smith delivered his third hit of the day with a double down the left field line, adding two more runs and giving the Mets a 6-0 lead. With two outs, Michael Conforto walked to load the bases again, and then Kevin Pillar singled to left to make it 8-0.
– Walker lost his no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth inning to Aaron Judge on a solo home run to right center, but the Yankees still trailed, 8-1. Walker’s day ended after 106 pitches over 5.2 IP, as he allowed only two hits and two runs with five strikeouts.
Miguel Castro came in and walked two batters to load the bases, and then Urshela hit a two-run single to cut into the lead, 8-3.
– Nimmo finished the day 3-for-6 with two runs scored, Lindor went 2-for-4 with two walks and an RBI, and Smith went 3-for-5 with three RBI as the top of the Mets’ order came to play in the Bronx.
Highlights
What’s next
The Mets and Yankees will continue their series on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. in Game 1 of a split doubleheader.
Marcus Stroman (6-6, 2.45 ERA) will go for the Mets against Gerrit Cole (8-4, 2.66 ERA).