New York Mets’ Mark Vientos clubs Cincinnati Reds with 2 HRs, including game-winner in 10th
New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos powered the Mets to a 6-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series with two-run homers in the first inning and, decisively, leading off the bottom of the 10th inning.
Vientos’ second homer of the night, his 24th of the season, came against left-hander Justin Wilson after the Reds failed to move the free runner in the top of the ninth.
“He’s a good hitter. We know that. He’s been having a great year,” said Reds manager David Bell, who said he didn’t want to walk the hot-hitting Vientos in that spot with nobody out and some of the dangerous hitters behind him – even considering.
All-Star slugger Pete Alonso, who was on deck, has been struggling (24 strikeouts in his last 54 plate appearances).
“The next four hitters are really good hitters. They’re all really good against left-handed pitchers.
It was just a tough spot. We knew we had to get outs. If there was any clear advantage to putting one of them on we would have done it.”
The Mets, who entered the night tied with the Atlanta Braves for the final National League playoff spot, won their eighth straight game and snapped the Reds’ four-game streak.
Elly De La Cruz watches the flight of his two-run home run in that tied the game at 2 in the fourth inning Friday night.
It was De La Cruz’s 23rd home run of the season and gave him 65 RBI.
Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief of opener Fernando Cruz in just the second appearance for Williamson since spending most of the season working back from a shoulder injury and subsequent setback.
Five days after making his season debut as a starter Sunday, he threw 60 pitches Friday and allowed one run on one hit and a walk (and hit two batters).
“Felt good. I was able to command the cutter, threw some good changeups,” he said. “I had thoughts about last year here; I didn’t feel like I pitched well (in first four innings of a loss, allowing three runs), so this game was really kind of like a bounce-back here.
I felt good last year here, but I just didn’t perform. I wanted to pitch well.”
