Mikolas pitches 8 strong, drives in two in Cards 10-2 blowout win to even series
Miles Mikolas was quick and efficient version of Mikolas this afternoon, working his way up and down the Mets lineup, holding them out of the hit column until the top of the 4th.
And by that time, the Cardinals had already spotted Mikolas 5 runs, getting to today’s starter, Chris Flexen early. Cafecíto and Yadi collected back-to-back one out singles. As the Mets elected to intentionally walk KoWo after Dex grounded out softly for the second out.
With Mikolas batting, Flexen would throw a slider in the dirt that would get away from catcher, Wilson Ramos. Cafecíto came across to score on the play to make it 1-0. Mikolas broke things wide open and set himself in cruise control mode out there on the mound. Miles would rip a two run single right back up the middle to score Yadi and KoWo to make it 3-0 Cards.
In the bottom of the 3rd, the first three batters would reach base. Pauly Deez smoked a double into LF, Swags walked (a lot today, apparently), and Cafecíto placed an rbi single into shallow RCF to score DeJong to make it a 4-0 game. Yadi would drive in Swags with a sac fly next, lining it to Nimmo in CF, extending things to 5-0.
Robinson Canó and Chris Flexen would get the first two hits for the Mets, Canó’s leading off the 4th inning with a single into RF. Mikolas set the next three down, getting a smooth defensive gem from KoWo on Ramos for the second out. Flexen’s hit would come with two down in the top of the 5th, as he dropped a single into shallow CF, and was left stranded there on a fly ball.
Swags would even give Mikolas some sweet defense in the top of the 6th, which probably has you thinking “yeah, right.” But with two outs and nobody on base, Swags would leap up to snag a Conforto extra base hit away, running onto the warning track.
The Cards would add another 4 runs in the 5th and 6th innings, extending their lead first with a Yadi rbi single into LF, bringing across Swags. Swags worked his second walk, stole 2B, and came around to score on the Yadi base knock.
Pauly Deez would come thru with an rbi double in the bottom of the 6th, driving a ball to RF to score Carp from 1B after a walk. Carp appeared to be limping a bit around 3B and coming home and into the dugout. Rhame then relieved Avilán and immediately walked Ozuna (his 3rd of the game), and then gave up an rbi double into LF, driving in DeJong and Ozuna to make it 9-0.
The Mets got on the board in the 7th inning, as McNeil got things started with a one out infield single. Amed Rosario then drove him in with an rbi tripe into RCF, as he would come into score on an rbi ground out off the bat of Davis.
Goldy would send one to the moon, or at least maybe skipped this thing outta the stadium and close to BPV. But he launched his 8th bomb of the season to make it a 10-2 Cards lead.
Giovanny Gallegos would get the final three outs from the pen, working a 1-2-3 inning, getting Conforto, Ramos, and McNeil, getting Ramos looking at a four-seamer for strike three on the outer half.
Top 3 Plays
3.) Cafecíto driving in three, as he keeps heating up
2.) Goldy’s monster shot to leadoff the bottom of the 8th
1.) Mikolas going (8IP, hits, 2er, 2 bb, 4 k’s) and driving in two runs with an rbi single in the bottom of the 2nd
Dakota Hudson (0-1, 6.08) gets the ball in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon, drawing the tough matchup in Noah Syndergaard aka Thor (1-1, 5.63). First pitch at 1:15pm c/t.
Cheers, Stew
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