PHILADELPHIA — Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso are the largest names, and largest stars, on the staff from Queens. They’re 1 and 1A in your record of orange-and-blue luminaries.
However the child Mark Vientos is the principle man now. Of that there isn’t a denying, and little doubt.
The child who at all times thought and stated he may rake is doing it up huge on the largest stage. And if he had just a bit extra assist, the Mets could be heading dwelling in a commanding place as an alternative of tied at one recreation apiece after Philly’s rousing 7-6 walk-off victory Sunday.
Vientos hit a pair of book-end two-run homers, together with one to tie issues within the ninth. He additionally doubled and walked in his 5 plate appearances that carried the potential to be labeled an all-time nice Mets efficiency if solely the Mets had held on. Vientos supplied the perfect of the Mets’ every day late-game heroics, however this time the Phillies beat the Mets at their very own recreation, staging three late-game rallies to even the Division Collection.
Vientos — the child who was demoted to Syracuse not as soon as however twice this yr and by no means complained — feels unstoppable proper now. He’s the perfect factor the Mets have going for them now.
“I’m centered. I’m centered on getting the job executed and doing no matter I can to assist the staff,” Vientos stated.
There’s no query who the Phillies (and another groups of their October future) needs to be planning in opposition to. That’s Vientos, the younger man with the magic bat, who appears to be like like he might have the potential to hold the Mets deep into October.
Different hitters have been having hassle seeing by way of the shadows early in these first two video games, with each performed in twilight. Not this child, who should possess tremendous imaginative and prescient.
Moments have the potential to overwhelm youngsters right now, however he’s making them his personal. Vientos appears to be like like he relishes the highlight. That’s the perfect form of participant to have in New York.
Give an help to glorious Phillies supervisor Rob Thomson on Vientos’ second dinger. Thomson employed left-hander Matt Strahm to attempt to shut issues out with the highest of the Mets lineup up when both of two right-handers made extra sense — Jeff Hoffman, who relieved Strahm, or nearer Carlos Estevez, who pitched the eighth inning.
Not solely is Lindor higher batting right-handed, however Vientos is demise on lefties as Phillies Sport 2 starter Cristopher Sanchez realized by permitting Vientos’ first two extra-base hits. However actually, don’t blame Thomson an excessive amount of. Credit score the Mets for his or her regular late-game rally.
Regardless of the different staff tries, Vientos, one of some key Mets to start out the yr in Triple A, appears to be floating by way of October.
“It was a heckuva recreation. Each groups battled. And I’m excited to get again to Citi Subject,” Vientos stated.
He stated it feels “surreal.” But when it doesn’t fairly qualify as surreal, on the very least, it’s a shock. To us and to them.
Vientos deserved a spot on the staff off a tremendous spring efficiency in Port St. Lucie, nevertheless it was going to take rather a lot to beat out Brett Baty, who was typically held in greater regard. It nonetheless seemed like he was going to make the staff, however then they acquired his South Florida buddy and hitting associate, the veteran stabilizer J.D. Martinez, and abruptly he was off to Syracuse. He got here up briefly, hit a game-winning dwelling run, then was despatched down once more. He dealt with all of it fantastically.
Mets hitting coaches deserve credit score for getting him so good. So does Phillies star Bryce Harper, who supplied some phrases of knowledge in a first-base chat earlier this yr.
The Phillies do know their baseball, and also you didn’t suppose the Phillies have been going to go away that quietly, did you?
No, neither did I.
The Phillies are too good to put an entire postseason egg. So their late comeback win — they beat the Mets at their very own recreation — shouldn’t come as a shock.
The Mets head again to Queens typically feeling good about themselves. However one worrisome factor for the Mets is star reliever Edwin Diaz. The person they known as Sugar for apparent causes (he’s completely beautiful), left a bitter style after the Phillies rallied for 3 runs in opposition to him to take the lead earlier than Vientos tied issues.
You couldn’t actually blame Diaz too badly for strolling annual October hero Harper to start out the Phillies eighth. The Mets had a one-run lead and Harper homered solely two innings earlier to make a recreation of it. However a single by Nick Castellanos and hard-struck triple by Bryson Stott, lined down the correct area line gave the Phillies the lead. An inning later, Castellanos gained it following walks by Tylor Megill to Trea Turner and Harper.
Castellanos had a pleasant recreation, gathering three hits. However he didn’t match Vientos. Proper now, nobody can.
