Mike O
July 23, 2021
When I circled the calendar on this game last year, I didn't think I'd see one of the wildest Mets games in recent memory. But that's what happened in Cincinnati Monday night, and I was there to witness it. (Hall of Famer Johnny Bench was as well.)
The Mets, running on empty for pitching due to Taijuan Walker's dud in Pittsburgh the day before, started Jerad Eickhoff, who the Mets backed in the first with homers from Alonso and McNeil. Eickhoff proceeded to give the lead right to the Reds, helped by three (3!) uncharacteristic errors from Guillorme at short. And with no Lindor on the bench, the Mets couldn't really take him out.
Conforto continues his sudden hot streak by going deep for 3 in the 4th. Smith ties it with a Dom Bomb in the 5th. The Mets have as many home runs as errors. But this game wasn't even close to being over.
Noted enemy Jesse Winker gives the Reds the lead in the 7th. McCann homers to get it back in the 8th. In the 9th, "elite" closer Diaz walks the 8 hitter on 4 pitches, and with 2 outs Winker doubles him in. It's an absolute mess of a baseball game.
The Mets score. Anthony Banda, in his first Mets appearance, lets the Reds tie it. Votto, the winning run, is stranded at 3rd base. The Mets then put up 5 in the 11th with homers from Pillar and Conforto. And yet, the Reds made it close. Nick Castellanos, coming off the IL to a huge ovation in the midst of an All-Star season, hit a ball that was feet away from a three-run homer off Trevor May. Somehow, after all that, the Mets won.
And they didn't even have their manager!
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