Francisco Lindor And Mets Show Some Fight
This was the type of game which had the potential to spell doom for the entire New York Mets season. That’s not hyperbole either.
With a bullpen game the other day and another one due tomorrow, David Peterson was bad. He would get knocked out of the second inning after allowing three runs on three hits and three walks.
It would’ve been worse, but Robert Gsellman bailed Peterson out. That said, he did allow a run in the third putting the Mets behind 4-0 with the Diamondbacks pitching Zac Gallen.
Even with Francisco Lindor reaching on an “infield single” and advancing to second on an Asdrubal Cabrera error in the third and scoring on a Michael Conforto single, things were not getting better.
Lindor got booed again even with his making another sterling defensive play.
The Mets did get another run off Gallen in the sixth. Gallen issued a leadoff walk to Pete Alonso, who advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. Jonathan Villar came up huge with an RBI single to cut it to 4-2.
Jonathan Villar drives in Pete Alonso to cut it to 4-2 pic.twitter.com/sSZKEzC6gh
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 8, 2021
After that, things got weird and dark. It started with a seemingly innocuous play where Jeff McNeil didn’t get out of Lindor’s way on what proved to be a Nick Ahmed single. After what was a scoreless inning, an altercation seemingly ensued:
Not really sure what happened in the Mets clubhouse in the middle of the 7th inning pic.twitter.com/CQA3qEzmuY
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 8, 2021
Conforto and Dominic Smith went down the tunnel. McNeil eventually emerged with what looked like a swollen eye. With Lindor due up, you could see McNeil has swelling around his eye. That wouldn’t be Lindor’s last big hit that inning.
After Tomas Nido, who had been double switched into the game, earned a lead-off walk, Lindor would get his first Citi Field homer:
The ball game is tied! @Lindor12BC #LGM pic.twitter.com/FYJhxkffWI
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 8, 2021
That homer as well as the Mets bullpen allowing just the one run over the final 8.1 innings and some good defense allowed the Mets to get to that 4-4 tie.
One key play came in the ninth. Edwin Diaz hasn’t been good in tied games or with runners on base. That’s what made Conforto throwing out Cabrera trying to stretch a single to a double all the more important.
? @mconforto8 pic.twitter.com/AX9dSHGFng
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 8, 2021
Aaron Loup was up next in extra innings. Because of the ever changing rules, a runner started the inning at second. Despite that. Loup would would get out of the inning unscathed. The same wouldn’t be true for the Mets. Smith was intentionally walked to start the inning, and with two outs, Villar singled to load the bases. That set the stage for rookie Patrick Mazeika to get his first career RBI.
Welcome to the show, @pattayymaz10! ? #MetsWIN #LGM pic.twitter.com/leWWbYUu1q
— New York Mets (@Mets) May 8, 2021
That’s a good and uplifting win. It also wasn’t one without drama. Specifically, the issue if the altercation came up. Lindor did his part to downplay it saying he and McNeil were trying to determine if there was a rat or raccoon. It was neither, but it allowed the Mets to move on from it when with all the questions.
Game Notes: Luis Guillorme will not return from the IL tomorrow as anticipated.
Lol swelling around the eye— McNeil did a zoom meeting with the media and he clearly had no marks on his face you clown.
Why waste your time being the imbecile you are?