Mets respond to Cohen tweet with 12-inning win over Giants
NATIONAL LEAGUE METS 6 GIANTS 2
SAN FRANCISCO — Kevin Pillar hit a three-run home run in the 12th inning, lifting the New York Mets over the San Francisco Giants 6-2 on Wednesday hours after the team’s owner called out its hitters for a lack of production.
With his club stuck in a five-game skid, Mets owner Steve Cohen tweeted Wednesday morning that “it’s hard to understand how professional hitters can be this unproductive. The best teams have a more disciplined approach. The slugging and OPS numbers don’t lie.”
The barbs hardly seemed to inspire New York early on. Six Giants pitchers combined to blank the Mets until the ninth inning, when J.D. Davis provided a tying sacrifice fly.
The Mets offense finally broke through in earnest in extras. The teams traded runs in the 11th before the Mets scored four runs against Tyler Chatwood (1-3) in the 12th. Pillar — a former Giants player — broke a 2-2 tie with his 10th homer of the year, and Chance Sisco added an RBI double to make it 6-2.
Mets manager Luis Rojas addressed Cohen’s state
ment before the game and said the players and coaches needed to be held “accountable” for their results.
“I’m aware of the tweet from Steve,” Rojas said. “We’re working really hard every day. We’re trying to find our way to win some games.”
Entering Wednesday, the Mets’ 450 runs were thirdfewest in MLB, ahead of only Texas (446) and Pittsburgh (431).
Michael Conforto also had an RBI for the Mets. Lamonte Wade Jr. and Tommy La Stella recorded RBIs for San Francisco.
The Giants used eight relievers, who combined for 102 innings after starter Anthony DeSclafani exited with right-ankle discomfort in the top of the second.
New York starter Tylor Megill pitched six innings, allowing just one run. Jeurys Familia (7-3) surrendered an unearned run in the 11th but still got the win.
DEFENSIVE GEMS
The Giants made a pair of highlight-reel defensive plays to keep the game tied at 1-1 in the late innings. In the ninth, shortstop Brandon Crawford robbed Dominic Smith of a single up the middle by diving to his left and using his glove to flip the ball to second base, forcing out Conforto.
The next inning, with a runner on first base, Wade took an extra-base hit away from Pillar with a leaping catch against the left-field wall.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: C James McCann
missed his second straight game with back spasms and could go on the injured list if he doesn’t improve in the coming days. … SS Javier Baez (back spasms) fielded grounders for the third day in a row. He is eligible to come off the IL Sunday.
Giants: DeSclafani appeared to injure the ankle while covering first base on a ground ball by Smith in the second inning. The right-hander stayed in for one more batter, walking Villar, before leaving the game. … 3B Kris Bryant
returned to the lineup after missing Tuesday’s game due to mild tightness in his left hamstring. He went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts.
ROSTER MOVES
The Mets recalled Sisco to serve as a backup in McCann’s absence and optioned RHP Yennsy Diaz to Triple-A Syracuse.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Taijuan Walker (7-7, 3.75 ERA) will try to snap a four-game losing streak Thursday night as New York opens a four-game series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. Walker’s last win came July 3 against the Yankees.
Giants: Following an off-day Thursday, LHP Alex Wood (10-3, 4.14) will open a three-game series in Oakland against the Athletics. San Francisco took two of three from Oakland in Part 1 of the Bay Bridge Series in June.