Mets Having A June To Remember

 

Mets pitcher Tylor Megill firing one in against Houston's Yordan Alvarez in the first inning on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jason Schott.

In recent times, even in their 101-win season two years ago, the Mets have been known to have a June swoon, but in this unpredictable 2024 campaign, it was June their fans have swooned over.

The Mets were an astonishing 16-6 in the month through Friday's 7-2 win over the Houston Astros, working their way into the thick of the Wild Card chase as they built their record up to 40-39. This was the first time the Mets were above .500 since they were 16-15 on May 2.

Starting with what now is referred to as "The Grimace Game" on June 12, when the Mets beat the Miami Marlins, 10-4, they won 12 of their last 14 games. As a team in that span, the Mets outscored their opponents 100-49, and they hit .300, with a .378 on-base percentage, and a .536 slugging percentage, with 31 home runs, 34 doubles, and 54 walks. The Mets' pitchers posted a 3.19 ERA (44 earned runs in 124.0 innings pitched), with 47 walks and 130 strikeouts. 

On Saturday, the Mets got off to another incredible start against the Astros, with Tylor Megill on the mound against Framber Valdez.

After Houston jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Jake Meyers hit a solo home run in the top of the second, the Mets went to work in the bottom half.

Tyrone Taylor led off with a walk, and then Mark Vientos bounced one to second baseman Jose Altuve, and it bounced off his glove for what was ruled a hit.

So instead of a possible double play, the Mets had two runners on and nobody out for Jose Iglesias, who bounced one back to Valdez. The Astros pitcher attempted to flip it to home plate, but it was nowhere close, with Taylor racing in to score, and Valdez would be charged an error on the play. Iglesias was credited with an RBI. Then, Harrison Bader had an RBI single of his own to put the Mets ahead.

After Francisco Lindor struck out, Brandon Nimmo ripped a double into the left field corner to bring in another run. A batter later, Pete Alonso doubled to left field, and Bader scored easily, with Nimmo sliding in safely to open up a 5-1 lead for the Mets.

Brandon Nimmo dove into home plate, with Harrison Bader and Francisco Alvarez urging him on. Photo by Jason Schott.

In the third, Mark Vientos hit a rocket to center field that landed to the left of the home run apple for a solo shot to make it 6-1. It was the Mets third baseman's 10th home run of the season in just his 37th game.

Houston began to chip away in the fourth against Megill, as Jeremy Pena got a two-run double, followed by an RBI single for Jon Singleton that cut the Mets' lead to 6-4.

Megill then worked around a pair of walks in the fifth and he exited with one out in the sixth. His final line was: 5 1/3 innings pitched, 4 runs (all earned), 3 walks, 6 strikeouts, 1 home run.

Ty Adcock was first out of the Mets' bullpen, and he threw 1 2/3 innings, in which he worked around a hit, didn't walk anyone, and notched a strikeout.

Jake Diekman came on for the eighth inning, which he opened by walking Meyers and Pena before striking out Chas McCormick and getting Mauricio Dubon to ground out.

Reed Garrett was next up, and he walked Trey Cabbage to load the bases. He then threw a wild pitch to bring in Meyers, and he walked Altuve to re-load the bases.

Alex Bregman then laced a line-drive to right field to bring in two and make it 7-6 Astros.

Danny Young then came on to get out of the eighth, which he did by getting Yordan Alvarez to line out to center field.

In the ninth, with Young still on for the Mets, Dubon notched a two-run double to make it 9-6 Houston, which would be the final.