The joys of a balanced offense

Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil, and new friend Darin Ruf provided all of the offense in this one, as the trio drove in two runs apiece in the 6-2 win.

Lindor provided his runs by way of a two run home run, his 20th of the season, smoking a 2-2 Mike Minor change up over the left field fence. Jeff McNeil decided the next two RBI were his, one coming by way of a solo home run (his first against a lefty this season, with Minor being the victim) in the fourth, and the other on a seeing eye single in the sixth, scoring Darin Ruf.

Ruf added the last two runs on an RBI single in the seventh, vindicating Buck Showalter’s decision to leave him in against right hander Joel Kuhnel, rather than pull him for Daniel Vogelbach (who would have had to face a lefty, something that should be avoided at all costs).

Carlos Carrasco was dazzling, although he faded hard in his last inning of work. He tossed six scoreless innings, and frankly looked like he could go eight or even the full nine, before seemingly hitting a wall in the seventh. A lead off single got him off to a rough start, and Jake Fraley made him pay in a big way, hitting a ball approximately ten thousand feet over the right field fence to put the Reds first (and only) runs on the board with one out in the frame. He quickly got a second out, but back to back singles saw his night end. Mychal Givens came in to get the final out of the inning and did just that, striking out the only batter he would face to end the rally.

Trevor May came in for the eighth with a 6-2 lead and had a bit of an adventure. He alternated allowing base runners and striking out batters, surrendering a lead off single to Kyle Farmer, striking out Joey Votto, walking Donovan Solano, striking out Aristides Aquino, walking Jake Fraley, before finally getting the last out by striking out a pinch hitting Alejo Lopez. An adventure.

Seth Lugo opted against having an adventure, getting three easy outs to secure the Mets 14th win in their last 16 games, putting them 33 games over .500.

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What’s WPA?

Big Mets winner: Carlos Carrasco, +16.5% WPA
Big Mets loser: Pete Alonso, -5.5% WPA
Mets pitchers: +25.6% WPA
Mets hitters: +24.4% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Francisco Lindor’s third inning two run home run, +19.3% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Jake Fraley’s seventh inning two run home run, -8.2% WPA