Báez Leads Mets' Offense in 13-Run Explosion Against Nationals
For much of the season, the Mets' pitching staff has carried the offense. However, it has been the Mets' lineup who has picked up the slack as of late.
On Sunday, the Mets won their eighth game in their last nine contests to go back over .500 at 69-68. With the Braves currently up 9-2 on the Rockies, the Mets will likely remain 3.5 games back in the NL East with 25 games left to play.
The Mets' offense got off to a fast start against Josiah Gray, scoring four runs in the first inning. And after the Mets built a 6-3 lead, the Nationals fought back to tie it, just a day after they came back from a nine-run deficit.
Luckily, the Mets took a 7-6 lead on Patrick Mazeika's sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth, before the offense exploded for six-runs in the top of the ninth to bust the game wide open.
Francisco Lindor went deep for his second homer in as many days for a much-needed insurance run, and Kevin Pillar capped things off with a grand slam, his second straight game with a long ball, extending the Mets' lead to 13-6.
Overall, the Mets' offense scored 13-runs, recorded 16 hits and blasted four homers. Javier Báez was the star of the show, going 4-for-4 with a home run, a stolen base and two RBIs.
Báez provided the spark, which helped the rest of the lineup have big days as well. Michael Conforto had two hits and 3 RBIs, Pete Alonso recorded a 3-for-5 day, Jonathan Villar had two hits and a homer out of the leadoff spot, Lindor had a clutch homer and Kevin Pillar had a grand slam.
"It feels great. It gives us the chance to get more pitches in the zone, and if not, we've got the guy behind us who's going to do the job," said Báez, of the Mets' recent offensive success. "When we do that as a team, it's going to be really dangerous."
Taijuan Walker took the hill in this game and did not fare well, surrendering six runs on six hits, including two homers, in 4.1 innings. But the offense was able to pick him up in this contest.
