Who says small ball is dead? Because the Mets continue to defy the modern-day offensive approach to keep churning out positive results.
Runs from a bases-loaded walk, two sacrifice flies, and a wild pitch — with three RBI belonging to Eduardo Escobar — paced New York (45-24) to a 6-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday afternoon at Citi Field to take three of four games in their series. They’ve now won 16 of 22 series this season.
The less-than-traditional output was more than plenty of support for David Peterson, who put in one of his best starts of the season by going 5.1 scoreless innings while allowing six hits with seven strikeouts — a shutout effort that was seen out by Adam Ottavino, Drew Smith, and Yoan Lopez.
Over their first 69 games, they’ve now posted 11 shutouts, tying the Yankees for the most in Major League Baseball.
The Mets had an opportunity to break it open early when they loaded the bases with no outs. They would have to settle for only one, though, as a Mark Canha walk plated the opening run of the game.
Pete Alonso and JD Davis struck out before Jeff McNeil lined out to left.
Peterson found trouble of his own in the top of the second when he put runners on first and third, but two straight strikeouts got him out of the jam quickly.
He allowed the first two men on in the third before bearing down again, retiring three-in-a-row to keep Miami off the board.
The Mets gave him a bit more insurance in the fourth after Eduardo Escobar’s short sacrifice fly scored Davis, who advanced to third on a Jeff McNeil double that was practically gift-wrapped to him by a shifting Marlin team that left the left side of the infield gaping.
McNeil, who moved to third on Escobar’s fly, coasted home after a wild pitch that was blocked by Marlins catcher Jacob Stallings saw starting pitcher Trevor Rogers break slowly to cover the plate. Upon further review, though, McNeil’s coasting was because he picked up an injury, forcing him out of the game. Luis Guillorme replaced him at second base.
Alonso did manage to pick up his MLB-leading 64th RBI with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to put the Mets up by a four spot, which was more than plenty of support for Peterson’s solid day.
While the southpaw allowed a single and a walk with one out in the sixth, ultimately ending his day, his line remained clean thanks to reliever Adam Ottavino coaxing an inning-ending double play.
Escobar put it beyond all doubt in the bottom of the eighth, shortly after JD Davis was plunked on the hand to become the 50th Met batter hit by a pitch this season, with a soft two-run single up the middle that broke an 0-for-23 skid at the plate.
