The Mets (73-64) took care of business against the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, sweeping them on Sunday with a 2-0 win.
Here are the takeaways…
-There wasn’t a lot of offense in this one as neither team had a hit or even a baserunner through the first three innings. That’s because Sean Manaea and White Sox starter Garrett Crochet were at the top of their game early on.
Let’s begin with Crochet who had a Jacob deGrom-like performance by striking out the first seven batters he faced – six of them swinging – and looking virtually untouchable. Luis Torrens was the first hitter to put the ball in play against the 25-year-old with a groundout to third base before Harrison Bader flew out to end the inning.
-But just like that, in the top of the fourth inning, Francisco Lindor smashed the first pitch he saw from Crochet for a 396-foot home run to left center field that gave New York a 1-0 lead. It was Lindor’s 29th homer of the season (second on the team) and his team-leading 80th RBI as a contingent of Mets fans shouted “MVP” chants as he rounded the bases.
After such a dominant start to the game, Crochet seemed to falter a bit after the home run, giving up back-to-back singles to Jose Iglesias and Mark Vientos. He regrouped and struck out Pete Alonso for his eighth K of the afternoon, but with Chicago limiting his innings in his first season as a starter Crochet was pulled after just 3.1 innings.
-On the other side, Manaea matched Crochet pitch for pitch and faced the minimum through the first 14 batters. Up until then, the left-hander had just allowed a two-out walk to Lenyn Sosa, but immediately picked him off for the final out of the inning.
-Hitless through 4.2 innings, Manaea surrendered his first hit of the afternoon on a line drive by Miguel Vargas. The lefty promptly struck out Dominic Fletcher to get through the fifth and keep the Mets in front.
Still up just 1-0, the 32-year-old pitched a clean sixth inning, but started the seventh by hitting Luis Robert Jr. with a pitch. As the tying run on base and the White Sox struggling to score, Robert tried to push the envelope and steal a bag but was gunned down on a perfect throw by Torrens. The catcher is now 12-for-20 (60 percent) in throwing out baserunners which leads MLB.
-Manaea then got a quick second out and with a low pitch count looked poised to go eight or possibly even nine innings. However, a walk to Andrew Vaughn and a single to Gavin Sheets put runners on the corners and suddenly Chicago was threatening.
Showing his mettle, Manaea recorded the final out of the frame and went seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits, two walks, a HBP and five strikeouts. It was another fantastic start for the lefty who has now pitched at least seven innings seven times this season and who lowered his ERA to 3.35 while becoming the ace of the Mets’ pitching staff.
-Thrilled with Crochet out of the game and facing the White Sox dismal bullpen, New York’s offense was once again unable to create separation with Chicago who held the Mets scoreless until the ninth inning.
In the ninth, Starling Marte’s two-out RBI double gave New York some breathing room for Edwin Diaz to close it out and close it out he did as the closer struck out the side on 14 pitches to seal the victory and the sweep while notching his 16th save of the season.
Game MVP: Sean Manaea
Manaea has been the Mets’ best and most consistent starter this season and Sunday was no different as he held the White Sox scoreless through seven innings.
Highlights
What’s next
The Mets return home on Monday to begin a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox on Labor Day. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
RHP Luis Severino (9-6, 3.96 ERA) faces off against RHP Brayan Bello (12-6, 4.66 ERA).
