New York Mets

The New York Mets won their second in a row, mashing their way to victory behind a strong start from Bartolo Colon.

  • New York Mets 6 (4-5)
  • Cleveland Indians 5 (4-4)
  • MLB, Final, Box Score
  • Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio

By Jeremy Fialkow

The New York Mets were mashing today.

Not only did they beat the tribe, the Cleveland Indians, by a score of 5-4, last night, but also did it in familiar fashion: Hitting home runs.

The team that led the National League in homers in the second half of last season my finally be back on track after Friday’s showing.

Through 4 1/3 innings, their two homers, one from Michael Conforto, one from Yoenis Cespedes, matched the team’s season total in 8 previous games. They finished with four total.

Mashing Mets

Coming into this series in Cleveland, the Mets were 3-5, and had only mustered 20 runs total on the season, the franchise’s fewest in the opening eight games of a season since the Mets produced 19 runs in their first eight in 1973.

Tonight, the offense woke up.

Thanks to a solid approach at the plate all the way down the order, and a bomb-filled 5th inning, the Mets walked the Indians in game 1.

Mets Manager Terry Collins elevated Confront to the 3-hole, Friday, which promptly payed dividends when Mikey C hit his first (of many) dingers on the season, to straight-away centerfield.

The Mets weren’t done yet.

The next three innings were scattered with hits and scoring chances, but it wasn’t until the fifth that the Mets decided to pull away.

First, de Aza nailed a ball and sent it over the fence to the opposite field in left, giving the Mets a 2-1 lead. He finished 3-for-4 and raised his season average to .278.

Then, it was Cespedes’ turn, who finally decided to use the opposite field, himself, and took one outta the park the other way. Cespedes, by the way, clearly loves playing in the Cleveland. Coming into Friday’s game, he batted .320 (16-for-50) with 4 doubles, HR, and 7 RBI in 12 games last year against the tribe.

His two run homer in the fifth extended the lead to 4-1.

Finally, Neil Walker capped things off with a two-run bomb of his own, giving New York an 6-1 advantage. It was Walker’s first home run from the right side of the plate since Sept. 7, 2014.

All in all, the Mets finished with 14 hits, including seven extra-base hits.

History Made

Bartolo Colon started for the second time this season. In his first, he was his usually self, locating to perfection and delivering with his glove too, on his way to a loss over the Philadelphia Phillies, giving up one run in six innings of work.

Obviously, the Mets provided zero run support the first time around. Then, Friday happened.

Friday, he returned to pitch in Cleveland, the place were a baseball career began for the old, trusty hurlers, way back when in 1997.

In Colon’s second bid for career win No. 219, which would tie him with Pedro Martinez for the second-most wins in major league history among Dominican-born pitchers, the efficient Big Sexy got the job done. Now, he only trails Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, who ranks first with 243 wins.

His final line: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Tired Bullpen

Friday wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the Metropolitans.

Up 6-2, with two outs in the ninths, relief pitcher Addison Reed tried to get his sixth, and the Mets final out of the night, but allowed a 2-run home run, instead. That trimmed the Indians deficit to just two.

That’s when Terry decided it was time to go to Jeurys Familia, his closer, for the save decision, and for the fourth time in five nights.

Familia proceeded to come oh-so-close to blowing the save, with absolutely nothing going for him or his arm. After a wild pitch, a Marlon Byrd bloop single cut the score to 6-5. Luckily, Familia was able to get out of the two-out jam, and bring his Mets a victory.

Whats Next

Fans can only hope that Saturday will be the very first happy Harvey Day of the season.

Matt Harvey, the ace who lost his first two starts of a season, will look to regain his typical form, as he takes the mound for his Mets, opposite RHP Josh Tomlin.

The game begins at 7:10 pm ET. You can catch it on SNY or STOh.

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Jeremy Fialkow
Jeremy Fialkow was born and raised in Miami, FLA, but currently studies at the University of Maryland. When he's not studying hard, he can be found supporting his sometimes hopeless NY teams: Knicks, Mets, Jets, and Isles. Your sympathy is appreciated.

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