McNeil, Conforto lead Mets past Giants
NEW YORK — For most of Tuesday night, Jeff McNeil was the Mets’ offense, getting a hit each of the first three times he stepped to the plate as his teammates slinked back to the dugout after their turns.
By the time he got his fourth hit, well, the rest of the Mets decided to join him.
McNeil lined a two-out, goahead double to leftfield in the bottom of the eighth in the Mets’ 6-3 win over the Giants. He finished 4-for-4, his second such game this month.
That saved the Mets (55-70) from what threatened to be another night of immense offensive futility. Jose Reyes led off the eighth with a triple, but Todd Frazier and Amed Rosario were unable to get him in. McNeil’s line drive did the job.
In 27 major-league games, McNeil is hitting .326 with a .388 OBP and .472 slugging percentage.
“He’s holding his own and gives you a good at-bat every single time out,” assistant general manager John Ricco said this week. “We’re really happy with what we’ve seen from him so far.”
Michael Conforto blasted a three-run homer, also in the eighth, and finished with four RBIs. He had been in a 1-for-17 mini-slump over five games before connecting for the insurance runs.
Steven Matz helped to quell qualms about his second half with his best start in about a month. He held the Giants to two runs in five innings, retiring a dozen consecutive San Francisco batters between their two hits against him. Matz struck out five and walked one. At 87 pitches, Tuesday was Matz’s longest start since July 26.
The Mets finally broke through against right-hander Chris Stratton (5.37 ERA) in the seventh, when Conforto’s sacrifice fly drove in McNeil and Austin Jackson singled to score Wilmer Flores (double). Those runs were the Mets’ first in 19 innings.
Giants, Posey discuss season-ending surgery
NEW YORK — Giants catcher Buster Posey has battled hip issues this season that could require season-ending surgery.
A source confirmed an initial report from The San Francisco Chronicle that the Giants have discussed the possibility of surgery with Posey, who missed the All-Star Game this season due to the injury.
A potential surgery would clean out bone spurs in Posey’s
hip.
The six-time All-Star received a cortisone shot during the All-Star break but has not been forced to the disabled list due to the injury. Instead, Posey has played through pain and struggled to drive the ball this season.
Posey is sitting Tuesday in New York after catching all 13 innings in the Giants’ 2-1 win over the Mets on Monday. The 10th year veteran is hitting .286 with five home runs and 40 RBIs in 103 games this season.
The Giants have not reached a final decision regarding a potential surgery, but if they fall further out of the playoff race, it could be in Posey’s best interest to undergo the operation so he can prepare for the 2019 season.