[ad_1]
The Mets might be gearing up to become a trade deadline seller, but they didn’t play like it Friday night at Citi Field.
Pete Alonso’s two home runs and Max Scherzer’s seven-inning gem helped the Mets defeat the Washington Nationals 5-1 in the second game of a four-game series. The Mets (49-54) lead the series 2-0 heading into what could be an eventful weekend.
With the most reliable part of an unreliable bullpen now gone, the Mets needed a big starting pitching performance. Scherzer (9-4) delivered against the team he won a World Series with four years ago, holding the Nats (43-61) to one run on six hits over seven solid innings. One day after his 39th birthday, Scherzer lowered his ERA to 4.01 on the season.
This further fueled the speculation surrounding his future. Scherzer is unlikely to be dealt before the Tuesday trade deadline and has full no-trade protection. He also has been vocal about his commitment to the Mets and winning in Queens. However, it’s tough to quiet the noise at this time of year.
Alonso now has 30 bombs on the season and became the second player in franchise history to hit 30 or more home runs in four different seasons. Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza is the only other Mets player to accomplish the feat.
His first blast came in the fifth. With Scherzer and left-hander MacKenzie Gore (6-9) deadlocked in a scoreless duel, Alonso put the Mets on the board with a three-run second-decker. It went 453 feet to left center to put the Mets up 3-0.
The only run Scherzer allowed was a solo shot to Luis Garcia in the seventh. Alonso took away all hope of the Nats coming back with another monster two-run homer in the bottom of the frame. He took Rico Garcia back 423 feet to center field.
With a four-run lead, the Mets didn’t need Robertson, their former closer, but still went to their best high-leverage arm in left-hander Brooks Raley, who earned the save after the Mets traded Robertson one night prior. Raley gave up a one-out single to Garcia before inducing an inning-ending double play.
It might have been his final time in a Mets uniform.
The roster could look a lot different over the next few days. The team hasn’t punted the season but they know the odds of reaching postseason contention aren’t good. We’ll learn a lot about the Mets in the coming days, but as for Friday, it was a feel-good win that followed a tough night.
()
[ad_2]
