MET BARRAGE HITS THE SPOT
Conforto HR, 10-run night ease pain of Noah news
Michael Conforto had been looking for this one. In 2015, the Mets young outfielder breezed through his first half of the season in the major leagues, helping power their run to the World Series. No matter what he tried this year, though, he could not find that feeling or that swing again.
Until Friday night, that is. After a season that was almost lost for him, Conforto crushed a three-run home run in the fifth inning to spark the Mets’ offense and lead them to a 10-5 win over the Phillies at Citi Field.
“It felt good,” Conforto said. “It felt good off the bat. That at-bat, really was kind of the epitome of what I have been working on. Laying off of pitches that are tough for me to hit, until I get something I can do damage with. That was a good at-bat for me and a feeling I can hold on to.”
The victory clinched a second straight winning season for the Mets (82-72) and got them a little closer to getting back to the playoffs. With the Cardinals’ afternoon loss, the Mets are 1.5 games ahead of them in the National League wild card race. The Mets were a half game up on the Giants, who played the Padres late on the West
Coast, for the first wild card spot.
The Mets rallied from a 2-1 deficit early, their second straight come-from-behind win, and they have scored at least nine runs in consecutive games for the first time since Aug. 25-27.
They needed the offense desperately, because the Mets’ once deep pitching staff is now stretched thin by injury and illness.
Noah Syndergaard was scratched from Saturday’s start because of strep throat. He is the third Met starter scratched in seven days. Gabriel Ynoa got the call Friday night after Steven Matz was scratched with shoulder discomfort. Ynoa went just two innings, putting the Mets in a 3-1 hole, and the bullpen had to piece together seven frames. Hansel Robles pitched 2.2 scoreless for his first save and the Mets were able to rest set-up man Addison Reed and closer Jeurys Familia.
But the Mets’ pitching is still short as they make a playoff push. Even a Monday return for Syndergaard would mean he would be unavailable for the wild card game, unless the Mets clinch the spot early next week and can hold him back.
So, Friday night, Conforto and the rest of the lineup did what they could to give the Mets that chance.
It was Conforto’s first home run since Aug. 7 and his three RBI tied a career high. He went 2-for-3 with a second-inning double and also scored the Mets’ first run.
Conforto’s bat was supposed to be a key for the Mets this season. He was coming off a 2015 campaign where he hit .270 with nine home runs and 26 RBI in 56 games after a late July call-up straight from Double-A. In April, it looked like that hot start to his career was no fluke, as he hit .365 with four home runs and 18 RBI in the first 21 games of 2016.
But in May and June he plunged to .148 with six home runs and 12 RBI before he was demoted the first time. He hit .200 in 19 games back after the All-Star break before his second demotion. When he returned with the September call-ups, the Mets had traded for Jay Bruce and were trying to get his bat going, so Conforto got little opportunity to play.
Now the Mets have benched the struggling Bruce, giving Conforto a chance Friday night. He’s earned another shot, Terry Collins said.
“What we saw tonight was what we were used to seeing a lot,” the Mets manager said. “It’s great for him, a great confidence builder for him. We’ll give him another shot and see how he does (Saturday).”
Conforto admitted this has been a frustrating season for him, but one that he hoped would help him improve long term.
“It’s been a tough year, but it’s one that I think will make me a better player in the long run,” Conforto said. “It’s hard, but I’ve learned some hard lessons. It hasn’t been my best season, but I can make the best of what opportunities I get.”
Friday night, Conforto crushed that opportunity.