Remembering Mets History (2022) Mets Sweep Subway Series with Walk Off Win

 Tuesday July 26th, 2022: A big crowd of 42,364 came out to Citi Field to see the latest version of the regular season subway series. This is the 25th season of the semiannual event that has certainly lost some of its fanfare from its early days. Instead of three game series on weekends, the series is now held on weeknights & is just two games at each park.

This year did have some excitement going into it as both teams were in first place in their divisions. It was the first time both teams entered the subway series in first place. 

Tonight, Buck Showalter's Mets (60-37) hosted Aaron Boone's AL New York team (66-32). The Mets Taijuan Walker (7-2) went up against Jordan Montgomery (3-2)

In the top of the 1st, the fireworks began immediately, with one out Aaron Judge hit his league leading 38th HR. Anthony Rizzo followed with his 23rd HR of the season as they went back-to-back for a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the 1st the Mets answered, with one out, Starling Marte hit a HR to left field, his tenth of the year. Mets sluggers followed as Francisco Lindor & Pete Alonso hit back-to-back doubles to tie up the game at two. After Mark Canha struck out, Eduardo Escobar blasted a HR down over the left field wall making it a 4-2 Mets lead. It was his 12th HR of the year.

In the 3rd, Starling Marte led off with a double, then an error by Josh Donaldson allowed Marte to score with the Mets 5th run.

In the 4th, the AL New York team got two infield singles off Walker & when DJ LeMahieu grounded out Aaron Hicks scored with their third run.

Taijuan Walker retired the sides in order in the 5th & 6th innings. Overall, he had a good night, six innings pitched allowing three runs on seven hits, he struck out three walked just one earning his 8th victory of the year, lowering his ERA to 2.67.

In the top of the 7th, Adam Ottovino came on to pitch for the Mets. After LeMahieu grounded out, Judge singled & Rizzo was hit by a pitch. Then Aarone Boone called for a double steal, that backfired when Tomas Nido nailed Rizzo at second base for the second out. Gleyber Torres then popped up to end the inning.

In the 8th with one on & two outs, Buck Schowalter went to his closer Edwin Diaz. Diaz struck out Joey Gallo to end the inning. 

In the bottom of the 8th, Francisco Lindor & Pete Alonso singled off Albert Abreu. Abreu then struck out Daniel Vogelbach & Eduardo Escobar. He then threw a wild pitch to Jeff McNeil advancing the runners. McNeil then singled softly to center bringing in Lindor with the Mets sixth run 6-3.

There was a bit of drama in the 9th after a leadoff single, Diaz struck out LeMahieu. Aaron Judger then got on with a fielder's choice back to the pitcher, Diaz couldn't make a play on. 

But Edwin Diaz being the dominant pitcher he has been all season, struck out Anthony Rizzo & Gleyber Torres to end the game. Mets won it 6-3.

Pete Alonso had three hits on the night, Starling Marte & Francisco Lindor both had two hits each. Marte & Escobar's HR's being the big blows.

Quotes- Buck Schowalter: " It's like I told the players in the advance meeting; I said they should reish playing in this environment & have fun, draw something from it. We'll be able to reach back for it as we go forward".

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Wednesday, July 27th, 2022: In the second game of the subway series 43,693 fans were at Citi Field to see Max Scherzer (6-2) go up against Domingo German (0-1). Tonight was Max Scherzer's 38th birthday.

Max Scherzer was once again outstanding; on the big stage he was even better than usual. Max went seven innings, shutting out the AL New Yorkers, scattering five hits while striking out six, walking two.

In the 3rd with two on, Scherzer struck out Aaron Judge to end the inning, it was the second time he fanned Judge. In the 5th, Josh Donaldson led off with a double, Scherzer then struck out Aaron Hicks & Isiah Kiner-Falefa. After giving up a walk, DJ LeMahieu lined out to shirt where Francisci Lindor snagged it for the third out.

In the 6th, Scherzer struck out Aaron Judge to start the inning, it was the third time he struck out Judge on the evening. Scherzer nicked Rizzo with a pitch in the foot & he reached first. With two outs, Matt Carpenter singled to right, but Scherzer got Donaldson to ground out weakly back to the mound. 

The Mets fans went wild & Scherzer entered the dug out like a bull, slamming high fives to all his team mates & whoever else was in his way.

Trivia: Since returning from his injury, he is 1-1 with a 1.39 ERA 45 K's & four walks in 30 innings in five starts. He now has 41 strike outs on birthdays when he pitched, the all-time leader in that category.

Max left with a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Pete Alonso hit his 26th HR of the year, a soft liner that went over the left field wall. It was Alonso's league leading 84th RBI.

Quotes- Manager Buck Schowalter: " That is Pete he is just a consistent competitor. There's a lot of similarities between him & Max. They don't have an off day competitively speaking. I have never had one "Woe is me moment" with Pete. He just keeps grinding & he welcomes those expectations of the things he is capable of".

In the home 3rd, Brandon Nimmo led off with a double, Francisco Lindor then singled to right field scoring Nimmo with the Mets second run for a 2-0 lead.

The Mets bullpen blew the win for Scherzer, when David Peterson walked Rizzo on four pitches & then served up a HR to Gleyber Torres his 16th of the year. Peterson struck out Matt Carpenter & then Seth Lugo came on to strike out Josh Donaldson & Aaron Hicks to end the inning.

In the top of the 9th, LeMahieu singled off Lugo with two outs. Lugo got Judge to ground out to Lindor to end the inning. The game went to the bottom of the 9th inning, tied at two with Wandy Peralta pitching.

Eduardo Escobar led off with a double off the left field wall. Tomas Nido laid down a bunt moving Escobar to third. Brandon Nimmo hit a come backer to the mound that Peralta couldn't handle & Nimmo was safe at first. Starling Marte then stepped in & was the hero of the night, as he singled to left with the walk off hit as Escobar scored.

Trivia: It was Marte's 14th career walk off hit.

Quotes- Starling Marte: "I like playing teams that like to win & also want to compete & battle because it forces us as players to reach new a level. I like to showcase these skills, especially against those good teams."

The Mets swept the two game subway series at Citi FIield & more importantly took a three-game lead over the Braves who lost earlier to the Phillies.