NEW YORK -- After being swept by the Pirates in Pittsburgh -- where they were outscored, 30-4 -- the Mets were back at Citi Field for a day-night doubleheader against the Brewers on Wednesday.
New York hoped that being in familiar surroundings would be what the doctor ordered. But the Mets didn’t get that shot in the arm until the second game when a minor change to the starting lineup helped them defeat Milwaukee, 7-3, to break their four-game losing streak.
In the first game, the Mets had a 2-1 lead entering the top of the sixth, but reliever Reed Garrett had a meltdown and allowed four runs including a grand slam to Joey Ortiz as New York lost the game, 7-2.
In Game 2, Brewers phenom Jacob Misiorowski was on the mound and he saw a couple of changes to the Mets’ lineup. Normally the leadoff hitter, Francisco Lindor was dropped a peg to the second spot in the batting order, while Brandon Nimmo -- who could be anywhere in the lineup -- was the leadoff hitter.
“Whatever it takes to win,” Lindor said. “I don’t have to hit in one place. I will hit anywhere [that is best for the team].”
The move ended up being a shot in the arm for the Mets, while Misiorowski ended up having his worst outing in his brief career. He allowed a season-high five runs in 3 2/3 innings. All five runs were scored in the second inning and it took a bad bounce to help the Mets extend their inning.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Hayden Senger hit a ball up the middle that hit Misiorowski's glove and bounced toward second baseman Brice Turang who tried to make the force play at second base. But Turang didn’t handle the ball cleanly and, before anyone knew it, the bases were loaded.
Up stepped Nimmo, who brought the Citi Field crowd to its feet and hit a grand slam to give New York a four-run cushion. Nimmo could feel the crowd getting behind the team anticipating a big blow.
“It was a big momentum shift, especially against [Misiorowski],” Nimmo said. “He has done really well since he has been to the big leagues. It’s nice to get a lead there. There is still a lot of game left. Feeling really good, but we need to move on and keep trying to add on. Francisco did a great job of that tonight.”
Lindor, who was voted the starting shortstop for the National League All-Star team, followed and hit his 17th homer of the season. Lindor was in a 2-for-30 slump before the at-bat.
“It was a good feeling in the dugout. It was a good feeling overall because of what we are going through right now,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.
The Mets had Huascar Brazobán open the game, pitching a scoreless first inning. But it was rookie Blade Tidwell who secured his first Major League win by pitching 4 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on five hits. All three runs were scored in the sixth inning. Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio highlighted the frame with back-to-back homers.
“It’s kind of like how we mapped it out. Going with an opener and trying to get five or six [innings] out of Tidwell and then trying to piece it together,” Mendoza said. “He was huge. I thought the fastball had life. He threw strikes and when he got behind, he came back and made pitches when he needed it.”
The Mets later added to their lead against Brewers reliever Jared Koenig in the bottom of the sixth when Lindor singled to left field, scoring Ronny Mauricio. New York scored its last run of the game in the eighth on an RBI double by Lindor.
The minor lineup change worked out Wednesday night, but don’t expect Mendoza to gloat on what he decided to do before the game.
“It’s baseball,” Mendoza said. “I’m going to make a lot of decisions. When I’m making out a lineup [or] a pitching change -- you guys saw it -- it’s going to work. When they don’t work, it’s on me. When they work, it’s on the player. It’s as simple as that.
“You are talking about two really good players [in Nimmo and Lindor]. For me, as a manager, to make those types of decisions is a lot easier when they are all in. I didn’t have to talk to Nim between games because every time I go up to him, the answer is always the same. I’ll do whatever you need me to do. When you get superstars who are willing to do whatever it takes to win a baseball game, as a manager, that’s all you need.”
With the victory, the Mets won their 30th game at home.