The New York Mets entered Monday’s series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers fresh off a sweep of the Colorado Rockies. The top of the Mets’ batting order — Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo, and Juan Soto — propelled strong hitting in each game against Colorado. Could the momentum continue in Los Angeles? Monday night, the Mets started their road trip off in style by winning a 4-3 nail-biter.
Lindor, after a multi-week slump, found his groove against the Rockies. During the three games, he went 6-for-11 at the plate with six runs scored and three home runs. Getting his power stroke back is especially important to New York as they have won their last 26 games in which he hit a homer.
Lindor shook the Dodgers crowd up by walloping a leadoff homer, his fifth of the season. The Mets feed off his energy; when he excels, they are nearly unbeatable. He brought an ample supply to begin the critical opener.
Lindor saved plenty for the game’s close. He singled to drive in Starling Marte for the second New York run in the 10th inning. It ended up as the game winner as the Mets held off a fierce Los Angeles rally. He ended the evening going 2-for-5 with a run, homer, and two RBIs. New York won for the 27th straight time when Lindor smacked a power jack. It is the longest streak in franchise history.
Nimmo has been another key catalyst for the Mets’ recent hot stretch. Manager Carlos Mendoza recently decided to move Nimmo to the second hole, where he has excelled. New York gets a spark from his energy and humor. He teams with Lindor to give the Mets ample baserunners in front of the big boppers, Soto and Pete Alonso.
Nimmo continued his vigorous play against the Dodgers. He hit a ground-rule double in the fifth, driving home Jeff McNeil. This proved to be a critical run as Los Angeles fought back to tie the game in the ninth. Over his last seven games, he is hitting .375 with four HRs, five runs scored, and three RBIs.
Francisco Alvarez has frustrated many, as he has struggled to stay healthy and fully harness his exceptional talent. He came to the Big Apple as the game’s most hyped catching prospect, built on his excellent power. The massive cannon shots have been few and far between recently, and he has steadily lost playing time to Luis Torrens.
Alvarez came up huge, though, against Los Angeles. The Dodgers fought back to tie the game on Shohei Ohtani’s dramatics in the ninth. Alvarez immediately responded in the 10th, clubbing a double to knock in Luisangel Acuna, grabbing momentum back for the Mets.
Alvarez is only 23 years old, and New York doesn’t want to expose Torrens. Alvarez got the game’s biggest hit against Los Angeles, a huge boost for him. It is tantalizing to think of what he could be if he can stay healthy and play with conviction. The Mets would have the game’s best catching duo, and their lineup would become one of the deepest.
New York placed Paul Blackburn on the injured list in early March with right knee inflammation. He made his season debut against likely the best lineup in the game in their ballpark, which was a harrowing spot. He passed with flying colors.
Los Angeles responded well to Lindor’s homer by containing the Mets into the fifth. Blackburn figured that he would need ample run support in his 2025 opener. Instead, he got adequate help. He showed no rust as he commanded his pitching arsenal, making the mighty Dodgers’ bats look quite ordinary.
Blackburn didn’t face danger until the fifth. Los Angeles got two men on and then brought Ohtani to the plate. Blackburn got him to ground out to second, ending the inning and closing his exceptional start.
Blackburn pitched five innings, allowing three hits, zero runs, and striking out three. He has given Mets management a good problem. Their rotation has maintained the best ERA in the National League and has now brought back an arm who controlled an outstanding collection of hitters. How do they make room moving forward? Will New York go to a six-man rotation or bump someone to the bullpen?
The Mets have many strengths, but their fortitude is their greatest strength. New York got off to a terrific start, Lindor hit a leadoff homer, Blackburn was magnificent, and Nimmo played well again. Despite all that, the Dodgers came back behind the remarkable Ohtani. He hit a homer in the seventh, then tied the game off Edwin Diaz in the ninth with a sacrifice fly.
Los Angeles had the momentum; they looked likely to steal a game that the Mets controlled throughout the night. The Dodgers have been New York’s measuring stick. The Mets saw their closer blow the lead and could have easily sunk to despair.
New York responded with a terrific tenth and kept their pressure on even after losing Mark Vientos to what is likely a significant hamstring injury. They held off a furious Los Angeles rally as Jose Butto worked around a walk and a run-scoring single to retire the next three batters. Their mental strength allows them to overcome any obstacle.
The Mets won a massive series opener. They now only need one more victory against the Dodgers to clinch the season series. This would give them the tiebreaker, providing home-field advantage in a playoff matchup against Los Angeles. It would also give New York a Wild Card spot if the two teams end up battling for a position. Another win would also do wonders for the Mets’ confidence as it navigates one of baseball’s toughest schedules.
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