Final Score: Mets 8, Cardinals 7—This time, you can exhale

One day after the bullpen blew not one, but two games, the Mets held on this time by the skin of their teeth to win Saturday night’s game by a score of 8-7, though it wasn’t easy.

The offense was able to jump out early against Cardinals starter Michael Wacha, hanging up a 5-spot in the first inning, with three of those runs coming on a Pete Alonso moonshot home run. They later would push across three more runs, including one on a J.D. Davis home run, and looked to be in control late in the game, leading 8-3 going into the seventh inning

But Noah Syndergaard had to be removed with a hamstring strain in that 7th inning, so Mickey Callaway had to go to his bullpen earlier than he would’ve liked. Robert Gsellman came on and allowed three runs to score, trimming the lead to 8-6, and he was only able to get out of the inning on a fortunate line-drive double play.

Seth Lugo came on in the 8th, and nearly also surrendered the lead himself, loading the bases with two outs, but he struck out Matt Carpenter to get out of the jam without allowing a run. Edwin Diaz came on in the ninth, and continued his inconsistencies. He gave up two hits that led to a run to make it 8-7, and despite getting two outs in the inning, still had the tying on base and the winning run at the plate in the form of Kolten Wong. Wong blooped one into right that fell between Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil. Jack Flaherty, Friday night’s starting pitcher who pinch ran for the Cardinals, tried to score from first on the play, but was gunned down at the plate by McNeil to end the game in wild fashion.

Full recap to follow.

GameThread Roll Call

Nice job by MetsFan4Decades; her effort in the GameThread embiggens us all.

1. MetsFan4Decades: 161
2. JR and the Off-Balance Shots: 69
3. deegie: 60
4. David Klein: 59
5. John Oldnrude: 46
6. Teddy2Diggs: 40
7. Jets Mets Devils Nets 16: 31
8. Grominator: 22
9. AnneInFlushing: 20
10. navspycav: 16