Mets Week in Review: September Starts With A Surge

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Mets Video

New York Mets Weekly Snapshot

Record Last Week: 4-2

Runs Scored Last Week: 34

Runs Surrendered Last Week: 29

Standings

5th in NL East (65-78)

20.0 GB of 1st Place, 10.5 GB of a Wild Card

Transactions

September 1: Recalled OF Nick Morabito from Triple-A Syracuse.
September 1: Recalled RHP Dylan Ross from Triple-A Syracuse.
September 2: Activated RHP Justin Hagenman from the 60-day injured list.
September 2: Optioned RHP Dylan Ross to Triple-A Syracuse.
September 3: Claimed RHP Cameron Weston off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.
September 3: Optioned RHP Cameron Weston to Triple-A Syracuse.
September 3: Designated C Shawn Ross for assignment.
September 5: C Shawn Ross was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays.
September 6: Recalled RHP Tobias Myers from Triple-A Syracuse.
September 6: Optioned LHP Jefry Yan to Triple-A Syracuse. citeturn0search9

Scores

Game 138: NYM 3, TB 2

Game 139: TB 6, NYM 2

Game 140: NYM 10, TB 4

Game 141: NYM 10, SF 6

Game 142: SF 9, NYM 5

Game 143: NYM 4, SF 2

Series Breakdown/Highlights

Rays Series: After losing consecutive series to the White Sox, Brewers, and Astros, the Mets headed to Tampa Bay, the best team the AL has to offer, for a difficult three-game set against the Rays. New York responded with one of its better series of the season, taking two of three and receiving contributions from several young players, and helped out their crosstown rivals with their effort.

The Mets opened the series with a 3-2 win behind the best start of Robert Stock's major-league career. Stock tossed 5.1 scoreless innings, scattering five hits and striking out four. Mark Vientos made an immediate and big impact in his return from the IL, launching a solo home run before the Mets added two more runs against the Rays' bullpen. Tampa Bay scored twice in the eighth to make things interesting, but Kodai Senga worked a scoreless ninth for his fifth save, and New York held on.

Tuesday's game featured a familiar face on the opposite mound, as former Met Freddy Peralta faced the Mets for the first time since being dealt to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. Francisco Lindor greeted him with a leadoff home run, but Peralta settled down and retired the final 13 hitters he faced while allowing just one run over six innings. Sean Manaea struggled against the Rays' lineup, allowing five runs on 11 hits over 5.2 innings. Yandy Díaz homered and doubled, while Junior Caminero extended his hitting streak to 15 games as Tampa Bay evened the series with a 6-2 victory.

The Mets responded with an offensive explosion in Wednesday's rubber match. New York scored three times in the first and another three in the third, highlighted by Brett Baty's bases-clearing double, to build a 6-0 advantage. Tampa Bay cut the lead to 6-4, but Nick Morabito provided the biggest moment of his young career in the seventh, driving in three runs with his first major league hit. Juan Soto added a solo homer in the eighth as New York finished with 14 hits in a 10-4 victory. The win secured the Mets' first series victory since taking two of three from San Diego in August.

Giants Series: After Thursday's day off, the Mets returned to Citi Field for three games against another team looking toward the future. The series featured plenty of power, with the two teams combining for 23 home runs over the weekend, including eight from the Mets.

Friday's opener quickly turned into a home run derby for New York. Mark Vientos launched a three-run homer in the first inning before Francisco Alvarez, Bo Bichette and Francisco Lindor all went deep as the Mets built a 9-2 lead. Alvarez added his second home run of the night in the eighth, giving the Mets five homers as a team. Nolan McLean continued his impressive rookie campaign, allowing two runs over six innings with seven strikeouts and working out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth. Rafael Devers drove in five runs for San Francisco, but New York's early offensive outburst was too much to overcome in a 10-6 victory.

The power went in the opposite direction Saturday. San Francisco blasted six home runs in a 9-5 victory, with Rafael Devers and Christian Koss each going deep twice. Zac Thornton surrendered four of them and allowed six runs on seven hits over five innings. A.J. Ewing provided New York's biggest offensive highlight with a two-run homer in the second inning, while Brett Baty drove in three runs. The Mets loaded the bases in the seventh with an opportunity to make things interesting but managed only one run, and the Giants pulled away late to even the series.

For seven innings Sunday, it looked as though the Mets were headed for another series loss. Giants rookie Cesar Perdomo held New York scoreless over six innings, and San Francisco carried a 2-0 advantage into the bottom of the eighth. Brett Baty changed the game with a pinch-hit solo homer before A.J. Ewing singled and eventually advanced to third. After Juan Soto was intentionally walked, Bo Bichette delivered the decisive blow with a three-run homer, suddenly putting New York ahead 4-2. Kodai Senga worked a scoreless ninth for his sixth save, completing the comeback and giving the Mets their second consecutive series victory.