NEW YORK — It took a four-hour rain delay and extra innings, but the Mets managed to salvage a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field with a 2-1 walk-off win.
Luis Guillorme pinch-hit to lead off the 10th. He failed to drop down a bunt against right-hander Nick Robertson (0-1), but it didn’t matter. He ripped a double down the right side to score the automatic runner and halt the Mets’ losing streak at four games.
Max Scherzer pitched seven innings of one-hit baseball against his former team, holding them scoreless while striking out six and walking three. The right-handed ace was in line for the win but the Mets turned to newly-acquired right-hander Trevor Gott in the top of the eighth inning to protect a 1-0 lead.
Gott faced the bottom of the order and put two on before getting an out. The Mets gave him a long leash and it proved to be a little too long. With left-hander Brooks Raley nearly ready in the bullpen, Gott gave up an RBI single to Mookie Betts and the game was tied at 1-1. Raley then came in and got two outs to give the Mets a chance to come back.
Alex Vesia got three quick outs in the bottom of the eighth. Daniel Vogelbach got a one-out single in the ninth off closer Evan Phillips and DJ Stewart stole second pinch-running for him. David Robertson pitched two innings to try to keep the Mets in the game and earn the win (4-2).
The Mets have been prone to wild streaks all season. Five runs in their last five games would indicate that they are mired in another one, though they have faced excellent pitching in those five games (four losses). Hitters have lamented the fact that they continue to hit the ball hard, but they’ve hit it hard right at gloves.
This was true Sunday when Brandon Nimmo hit one off right-hander Bobby Miller 410 feet to straightaway center and James Outman gloved it at the wall. The center field wall at Citi Field is 408 feet to center, so Nimmo’s ball likely would have gone for a home run had Outman not made the out. The Mets sure could have used that home run.
Miller was in line for the loss after allowing one run on three hits, with one walk and five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. The Mets took one off Miller in the fifth inning, loading the bases with one out before Nimmo chopped one to the pitcher, allowing Starling Marte to score.
The Mets (43-50) have made it known that they intend to become the East Coast Dodgers, modeling their organization after the one that left Brooklyn for Southern California in 1958. The club has bulked up its analytics department and spent big money on the game’s top free agents. But through three games this weekend at Citi Field, it’s clear that the Mets still have a long way to go to catch up to the Dodgers (53-39).
