< Todd Frazier
homers twice as the Mets beat the Brewers 6-5 at Citi Field in New York for their ninth straight win.
New York — Todd Frazier hit his first two home runs with the Mets, new catcher Jose Lobaton tripled in his first at-bat with the team, and New York extended its winning streak to nine with a 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
Steven Matz ended an 11-start winless streak dating to June 28 as New York improved to 11-1 under new manager Mickey Callaway, the best start in team history. The Mets are on their longest winning streak since 11 consecutive victories from April 12-23, 2015.
Mets players are celebrating throughout games with a salt-andpepper shaker motion promoted by Frazier to signify their grinding approach.
The gregarious New Jerseyite popularized a thumbs-down salute with the Yankees last year after he homered during a Tampa Bay-Yankees game moved to Citi Field and a Mets fan was caught making the motion to him.
Frazier homered leading off the second and fourth innings against Zach Davies (0-2). He also singled and walked.
Signed after a successful run with the crosstown Yankees during the second half of last season, Frazier connected for the first time in his 37th at-bat with the Mets, a drive to center off the housing of the Home Run Apple.
After Hernan Perez tied the score with a two-run homer in the fourth against Matz (1-1), Frazier lined a home run to left to put the Mets ahead for good in the bottom half. New York opened a 6-2 lead in the fifth, which included Jay Bruce's RBI double, Adrian Gonzalez's sacrifice fly and Dan Jennings' run-scoring wild pitch.
Matz, who had lost seven straight decisions, yielded Ryan Braun's two-run homer in the sixth after Bruce allowed Domingo Santana's leadoff fly to fall for an error. Matz gave up four runs — three earned — and three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Seth Lugo allowed Travis Shaw's eighth-inning homer, and Robert Gsellman retired Jett Bandy on an inning-ending comebacker. Jeurys Familia got three straight outs to remain perfect in seven save chances and deal the Brewers their first loss in six one-run games this year.
Lobaton came up from Triple-A Las Vegas to help fill the catching void created when Travis d'Arnaud tore a ligament in his right elbow, which will require season-ending Tommy John surgery, and Kevin Plawecki went on the disabled list with a broken left hand, an injury sustained Wednesday when he was hit by a pitch. Plawecki is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks, and Lugo will split time behind the plate with rookie Tomas Nido.
Lobaton tripled in the second past a diving Ryan Braun down the left-field line. It was his fourth big league triple and first since April 22, 2016. He became the first Mets player to triple in his first at-bat with the team since pitcher Eric Cammack at the Florida Marlins on July 5, 2000 — his only big league plate appearance.
Davies, a 17-game winner last year, needed 64 pitches to get through three innings and gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He fell behind in the first when Yoenis Cespedes hit an RBI single.
Up next
RHP Matt Harvey (0-0, 3.60 ERA) starts for the Mets tonight and RHP Chase Anderson (0-1, 3.38 ERA) pitches for the Brewers.