Final Recap: Mets 5 – Reds 3
The New York Mets (11-7) defeated the Cincinnati Reds (9-11) this evening at Citi Field by the final score of 5-3. For a full boxscore recap follow the link below…
Game Notes:
- Neil Walker was the hero tonight going 2-4 with the go ahead 2-run home run in the bottom of the 7th.
- Michael Conforto was 3-3 tonight with a solo HR, a double and a single.
- Lucas Duda continued his hot hitting against the Reds going 2-4 with 2-run home run.
- Noah Syndergaard pitched 6.2 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits. Syndergaard walked none while striking out 9.
- Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his 6th save.
- Travis d’Arnaud left tonight’s contest early in the top of the 8th with a sore shoulder.
What more can you say about Neil Walker’s first month with the New York Mets? Walker has been hitting at a torrid pace in April and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. It makes you forget all about Daniel Murphy who is also having a torrid start to the season for the rival Nationals. It was nice to see the crowd Neil such a great reaction after his home run and he is easily becoming a fan favorite on this ball club. Walker’s eight home runs now rank second in the Majors, and he has now tied Jeff Kent for most home runs by a second baseman in the month of April with eight. The Mets all-time record for most home runs hit in the month of April by any position player is nine, which has been completed three times. Walker has 4 games left in the month to tie that record and we will all be rooting for him to do so.
Noah Syndergaard pitched a fantastic game tonight despite running into trouble in a few innings. He constantly figures out ways on the fly to get hitters out and I feel as if I can trust him to get out of any tough situation he gets into. Syndergaard’s stuff in the first month of April is Cy Young worthy, and it will be interesting to see if he can continue to dominate at the level he is at right now, through the rest of the season.
Michael Conforto has called dibs on the third-spot in the lineup for the rest of the season as he has done nothing but rake since being moved up in the lineup. Conforto was just a triple shy of the cycle tonight and he has all the makings of the next Mets young superstar. In eleven games thus far hitting in the three spot, Conforto has hit .378 with five doubles, four home runs eight RBIs, and ten runs scored. It will be interesting to see if Terry Collins sits Conforto tomorrow night as the Reds will be sending out a left-handed starting pitcher. I can’t see how Collins can bench Conforto with how hot his bat is, and how dynamic the lineup has become since being inserted into the third spot in the lineup. That will be something to watch when the lineups come out tomorrow afternoon.
You have to feel bad for Travis d’Arnaud who can’t seem to catch a break as far as injuries go. D’Arnaud was replaced in the top of the eighth inning tonight by Kevin Plawecki due to a sore shoulder. The injury apparently originated from the Mets catcher making throws tonight, as the Reds went nuts on the base paths swiping five stolen bases. There had been no indication this was a previous injury so it is something that bears watching. D’Arnaud is expected to undergo medical tests on the shoulder tomorrow, where we will learn more about his condition. The Mets have apparently pulled catcher Rene Rivera from action in Las Vegas tonight, which all but means he is heading to New York. Rivera will back up Plawecki if d’Arnaud is indeed placed on the DL.
- The Mets look to continue their nine game winning streak, which dates back to 2014, against the Reds in the second game of their three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 pm et and can be seen on SNY and MLB Network.
- Bartolo Colon (1-1, 2.89 ERA) with his 219 career wins, will look to pass Pedro Martinez on the all-time Dominican born pitcher wins list, against Reds southpaw Brandon Finnegan (1-1, 3.74 ERA).
Above The Mendoza 