The renaissance for the New York Mets offense continued with another outstanding performance by just about everyone in the Mets lineup as New York pounded the cross town Yankees 12-6 on ten very hard and powerful hits. The Mets feasted on a beat up starting rotation and a bullpen so beleaguered that it makes the Mets pen look fantastic, as Daniel Murphy, David Wright and Curtis Granderson put on a show in the Bronx.
The Mets, who belted four homers in the opener of this series, kept pouring it on Tuesday night jump-started by a four run first inning, highlighted by Granderson's three run blast to right. Granderson has recieved a lot of flack from Mets fans for his pedestrian batting average this season, but a return to his old stomping grounds has lit a charge into the right fielder.
In the two games at Yankee Stadium, Granderson is hitting .500 (4-of-8) with two homers and five RBI, raising his average over the Mendoza Line. His homer gave the Mets a purpose on the night and they just kept the ball rolling. With each at bat one much maligned hitter after another delivered a bone crushing hit to the Yankees, it was almost like they were taking a year's worth of frustration out on Vidal Nuna and Alfredo Aceves.
After the Yankees cut the Mets lead to 4-3 on Brian McCann's homerun, the Mets did the little things to make the difference in their favor. In the top of the third, David Wright led off with a double to left, before advancing to third on a fly out to center by Chris Young. Finally Wright scored on an sac fly by Juan Lagares to make it 5-3 Mets. An important run if there ever was one.
Fast forward to the fourth, the smart ball continued. First Ruben Tejada continued his slight resurgence drawing a walk, and scoring on Daniel Murphy's sac fly, before David Wright drove in the red hot Eric Young Jr. with a single to push the Mets lead to 7-3.
Then in the fifth inning, the passion and intensity of the 2014 Mets exploded onto the scene in an inning that could become a transcending moment for this club. With a runner on third and two out, Tejada, of all people, delivered a huge clutch RBI single to give New York some insurance at 8-4. For a guy who has taken a lot of abuse, Tejada is having a nice week. He's coming up big, finally.
Two batters later, Murphy lit a charge not only into Yankee Stadium, but he lit one into the Mets dugout when he cracked a three-run blast to right off the foul pole to give the Mets a 11-4 lead. The dugout exploded, players jumped on the top of the dugout steps. Even Terry Collins couldn't hold back his excitement over the hit. Murphy came flying home slapping the hands of his teammates as if a huge weight had been removed.
Perhaps the excitement is coming back into the Mets. It has been a long time since we have seen the kind of gleam in the eyes of the Mets players that we see right now. Everyone is making something happen. Tejada is getting hits, Murphy is as reliable and clutch as Wright and Granderson. Even Lucas Duda is playing some of the best first base of his career -- maybe there is something about this Subway Series that bring the best out in the Mets.
The only negative of the night was Zack Wheeler's performance. He couldn't get through the fifth inning, throwing 118 pitches, allowing five runs on seven hits with six walks. He has really struggled this year, in a year he was expected to be the defacto ace after Matt Harvey went down. With the Mets front office now bringing up the young arms i.e. DeGrom, Montero, etc. it would behoove Wheeler to pick it up -- he has the talent to be a top pitcher in this game; he has to show it, because the Mets have the arms to replace him if he doesn't.
Overall this was a special night for the Mets. It has been a special two nights in the Bronx, and who knows what's to come for the remainder of the series at Citi Field. They won their sixth consecutive game against the Yankees, now they have to keep up the same intensity against everyone else.
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