Remembering Mets History (2019): Three HRs in 7th Inning Help Mets Sweep Twin Bill

Monday August 5th, 2019: Mickey Callaway's Mets (55-56) were on a hot streak. The team had won nine of their last ten games up to this point, after an exciting end to July. 

At the trade deadline they surprised everyone, when they decided to became buyers instead of sellers, acquiring pitcher Marcus Stroman from Toronto. 

After that decision they went on to compete, they hit & they pitched well, getting back into the wild card hunt. The bullpen once ranked 28th, was now in the top four in the league, since the All-Star break. 

A good crowd of 29,645 arrived at Citi Field by the second game of this double header, to see the Mets host Don Mattingly's Miami Marlins (42-67).

In the 1st inning, Jeff McNeil led off with a rare leadoff walk. Amed Rosario singled & stole second base. Michael Conforto continued the energy from the first game win, with a two-run single to left field. 

The Mets were up again 2-0 after scoring runs in the first inning, something they are doing often in their win streak.

Mets starter Walter Lockett gave up three straight hits in the 3rd, as the Marlins cut the lead to 2-1. 

In the 5th, Brian Holaday led off with a solo HR to tie it. After two more singled, former Met Curtis Granderson (after receiving a nice ovation from the crowd earlier) doubled to put his team up 4-2. The score stayed that way to the 7th.

In the 7th, the magic that has been with the Mets the past two weeks returned. The bats came alive, J.D. Davis led off the inning with a solo HR, exciting the crowd. It was his 12th HR of the season, his second HR in three games & his third HR in his last ten games.

With two outs, Michael Conforto connected with an upper deck HR down the right field line, his 23rd HR, to tie the game & get the fans even more revved up. Pete Alonso stepped in, working his way through a slump & his longest HR drought of the season. 

Alonso ripped himself a line drive bullet over the left field wall to put the Mets ahead for good. Alonso & the fans were now electrified. The fans even chanted his named & demanded a curtain call.

Quotes- Pete Alonso: "People are still showing rabid support & I love that. That's one of the best things about the big leagues, is playing in front of thousands of people in the seats every night. We want to put on a big show & we want to win for them, We want to do something special".

Seth Lugo, the MLB- July Reliever of the Month, notched a six out save to earn his second of the year. He allowed no hits & struck out two to lower his ERA to 2.59. 

The Mets had now won ten of eleven games, four straight. All of a sudden, they were in the wild card hunt, although fighting off six other teams. 

They went a game over .500 after falling eleven games below that point three weeks earlier.

First Game: Earlier in the afternoon, in the first game of the Twi night double header, Jacob deGrom struck out eight Marlins, allowing two runs on just five hits, as he won his seventh game of the year to get to 7-7.  

His ERA was now 2.77. That season deGrom would win his second straight Cy Young Award.

In the 1st inning, Jeff McNeil led off with his 14th HR of the year. In the 3rd Amed Rosario hit his 12th of the season giving the Mets a 2-0 lead. 

In the 4th inning, J.D. Davis & Juan Lagares both walked. Jacob deGrom helped his own cause with a two-run single that put the Mets up 4-1.

In the 5th, Rosario led off with a walk & Conforto singled. Pete Alonso & J.D. Davis each drove in a run to add to the effort. That win got the Mets to .500.