Mets take suspended game on walk off in 13th
NEW YORK -- For one team, completing a suspended game nearly 24 hours after it began was worth the wait. That proved to be the Mets, who took a 2-1 win over the Reds in 13 innings on a Lucas Duda chopper that could not be handled by first baseman Joey Votto. New York won the first two games of the series with a chance to sweep in the regularly scheduled Sunday game.
"The pitching -- from the start yesterday to today -- was an outstanding job by every guy on the mound," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We won the game. That's the only good thing that happened besides our pitching today."
Reds reliever Nate Adcock took over in the bottom of the 13th and walked first batter Dilson Herrera to represent the go-ahead run. Curtis Granderson, who hit a homer in the third inning on Saturday, lined a sharp single to right field that put runners on the corners. With the infield playing in, shortstop Eugenio Suarez mishandled Ruben Tejada's grounder for an error that loaded the bases for Duda.
Video: CIN@NYM: Mets walk off on Votto's fielder's choice
Cincinnati moved left fielder Skip Schumaker in to be the fifth infielder before Duda chopped a high grounder to Votto, who bobbled the ball and dropped it as Herrera scored without a throw to the plate. It was ruled a fielder's choice with no error. It was the first run allowed by the Reds bullpen since Tuesday at Pittsburgh, a span of 17 ⅓ innings.
"They had some chances to win, as did we, at least to take the lead and get ourselves to [Aroldis] Chapman," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We just weren't able to get it done. We put ourselves in a difficult situation there in the bottom of the 13th with the bases loaded and nobody out. That's what's going to happen."
The Mets were 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position. The Reds 1-for-8 and stranded 12 men.
Reliever Bobby Parnell allowed a two-out single, but no runs in the top of the 13th for the victory.
Mets starter Matt Harvey battled through Saturday's inclement weather and an early lack of command to post a quality start and third consecutive strong outing. Harvey scattered five hits and allowed one run over six innings. Reds starter Michael Lorenzen pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed one earned run and six hits with four walks and four strikeouts. The game was suspended Saturday before the top of the seventh following a 53-minute delay. It resumed on Sunday, but only after another 21-minute rain delay before Carlos Torres officially took over for Harvey.
Video: CIN@NYM: Harvey allows only one run in strong outing
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Defense doesn't Skip a beat: In the bottom of the seventh after play resumed on Sunday, Schumaker made a nice diving catch near the left field corner to rob Tejada of extra bases. Duda followed with a hit to left field, but Schumaker threw him out at second base when Duda stumbled as he attempted stretching for a double.
"We wouldn't have been in that situation to still be in the game those late innings if Schu didn't make those great plays in the seventh inning," Price said. "They were spectacular plays. To have them back-to-back were really potentially game saving there."
Video: CIN@NYM: Schumaker throws out Duda at second base
Granderson goes deep again:.For the fifth time in seven games, Granderson homered. Like the previous four, his third-inning shot was a solo one. But unlike every home run he's hit since September 2012, Granderson's went over the left field wall. The right-fielder's first opposite-field homer in close to three years gave the Mets an early 1-0 lead and extended his hitting streak to seven games.
"He's carrying us. It's pretty obvious the way he's swinging the bat," Collins said. "We need it until we get some other guys going."
Video: CIN@NYM: Granderson opens up scoring with solo homer
Granderson also contributed to the Reds' first run when he dropped Tucker Barnhart's fly ball in the fifth inning. The ball was ruled a double and Barnhart came around to score. "I definitely should have had it," Granderson said.
Video: CIN@NYM: Barnhart doubles off Granderson's glove
31 Flavors: With one out in the top of the fifth on Saturday, Brandon Phillips made it a 1-1 game with an RBI double to left field off Harvey that scored Barnhart. Phillips has a five-game hitting streak and also has hits in all 31 career road games he's played vs. the Mets, including each of the 21 games he's played at Citi Field.
Video: CIN@NYM: Phillips plates Barnhart with double to left
Lagares leaps up: It's been somewhat of a struggle defensively this year for reigning Glove Glove award winner Juan Lagares, who is playing through several minor injuries. But Lagares was back to his old self Sunday, robbing Jay Bruce of a home-run with a leaping catch in left-center field in the eighth inning. Lagares' glove snuck just beyond the eight-foot wall, preserving a 1-1 tie. More >
QUOTABLE
"You play 13 and give up two runs. You'd think that your pitching has done a pretty good job, as did the Mets. They kept running guys out there that got us out. I think the key in any of those situations is to get the leadoff man on. Get somebody and set the table and be a single away instead of a two-out base runner and hope somebody lines a double." -- Price, on the lack of offense from the Reds
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The last time the Reds had a suspended game was April 14, 2014, vs. the Pirates. It was completed the following day with Cincinnati losing by an 8-7 score.
The Mets' last suspended game also went into extra innings. That last happened back on May 24, 2013 against the Braves at Citi Field, when the game was stopped with the score 5-5 in the 9th inning. The Braves won when play resumed, 7-5, in 10 frames.
WHAT'S NEXT
Reds: Josh Smith is slated to make his second big league start when the Reds and Mets complete their three-game series on Sunday. Admitting he felt some nervousness in his debut on Tuesday vs. the Pirates, Smith issued six walks over his three-plus innings and blew an early 4-0 lead. His 13 walks over 74 innings this season in the Minors is a strong indication that the right-hander is capable of throwing strikes.
Mets: Top prospect Steven Matz makes his Major League debut in Sunday's second game, circling the Mets back into a six-man rotation. The Long Island native had a 2.19 ERA in 15 games in the hitting-rich Pacific Coast League. Matz, 24, features a plus mid-90s fastball with sink and a plus changeup, as well as a curveball.
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