Mets vs. Indians recap: Four home runs enough for Mets to win

It might not have felt like it near the end, but the Mets had it all along. Bartolo Colon wasn't at his best, but he gave up two runs in five-and-one-third innings. And the Mets hit four home runs in the game and had a 6-1 lead by the fifth inning, which mostly wrapped up the game before it had reached its halfway point.

All six of the Mets' runs scored on those home runs. Michael Conforto hit a solo shot in the first, a long fly ball to center field. Alejandro De Aza hit a solo home run of his own to lead off the top of the fifth, a slightly-opposite field home run that cleared the high fence in left-center field. Later in the inning, Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run home run, and not long after that, Neil Walker hit a two-run home run—as a right-handed hitter.

That five-run fifth inning proved to be the difference in the game. Bartolo Colon gave up the first of his two runs in the bottom of the first and the second in the bottom of the fifth. From there, Terry Collins turned the game over to the Mets' bullpen.

Antonio Bastardo, who got four outs, and Hansel Robles, who got one, kept the score intact through the seventh inning. Addison Reed threw a scoreless eighth, but he was sent back out to pitch the ninth. He recorded a couple of outs, but he also gave up a two-run home run that prompted Collins to bring in Jeurys Familia. He gave up a run of his own, two hits, and a walk, but he was able to close out the Mets' victory.

That ninth inning bullpen management was a little strange, with Reed left in to start the ninth and Familia quickly rushed into the game after that. When Familia was struggling, nobody else was up in the Mets' bullpen. When the inning started, the Mets had a four run lead, a seemingly ideal time to use Rafael Montero.

Some observations:

• Through two starts and one relief appearance, Bartolo Colon has 13 strikeouts and has walked just one batter in 12.2 innings. He also has a 2.13 ERA.
• Both De Aza and Cespedes had three hits in the game. Michael Conforto had two, and David Wright went 1-for-4 with a walk.
• Familia's velocity hasn't quite been what is was last season, but according to Brooks Baseball, it has been at its lowest in April each of the past two years.
• Why isn't Jacob deGrom on the disabled list yet?

SB Nation GameThreads

* Amazin' Avenue GameThread

Box scores

* MLB.com
* ESPN

Win Probability Added

(What's WPA?)

Big winners: Yoenis Cespedes, +20.0% WPA, Antonio Bastardo, +13.3% WPA, Alejandro De Aza, +13.0% WPA, Neil Walker, +10.6% WPA
Big losers: none
Teh aw3s0mest play: Yoenis Cespedes hits a two-run home run in the fifth, +20.9% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Mike Napoli singles to tie the game in the first, -10.8% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +20.4% WPA
Total batter WPA: +29.6% WPA
GWRBI!: Neil Walker