9th-inning homer lifts Mets over Tigers

Neil Walker’s two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning Sunday powered the New York Mets to just their fourth win in 12 games with a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

The ball bounced off first baseman James Loney and past second baseman Neil Walker, hopping agonizingly into right field.

With the loss, the Tigers failed to gain ground on division-leading Cleveland, which lost to the New York Yankees.

“My first thought was, “Not again. You’ve got to be kidding me, ‘” manager Terry Collins said”.

The sinking feeling was only temporary this time. Walker then blasted his 19th home run to right-center field, quickly giving the Mets a 3-1 lead.

Today’s Player of the Game Award goes to Mets’ second baseman Neil Walker.

“We’ve got to hang in there, we can’t get down, we’ve got to stay as positive as we can”, Collins said. “We’re playing really good baseball and guys know what we’re capable of doing”.

The injury-plagued Mets had allowed Detroit to tie the game at 1 in the seventh with the help of a couple fluky infield hits.

Justin Upton, who the Mets intentionally walked after Martinez to set up a force out, was already tracking toward third base with McGehee in limbo between first and second.

J.D. Martinez played the hero for the Detroit Tigers twice in the last week.

Said Ausmus: “By the time he (Martinez) picked up the ball, Granderson was picking up the ball and at that point he would have been out by 25 feet”. “There’s no blame here”.

“It’s just one of those things”, outfielder J.D. Martinez said.

The Mets have not won consecutive games since July 6-7, but they’re still in the thick of the National League wild-card race.

Detroit Tigers’ Anibal Sanchez pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning of an interleague baseball game Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, in Detroit. Closer Jeurys Familia made that lead stand up, striking out three in the bottom of the ninth to pick up his 39th save of the season and snap the Mets’ two game losing streak. The Mets finally broke through in the seventh, when Michael Conforto launched a solo homer (11) off Sanchez to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. deGrom, who was carrying a 20 inning scoreless streak through the contest, allowed a one out single to Justin Upton but was poised to escape the inning unscathed after getting a fly out.

Detroit-The New York Mets have had a long slog of a season, dealing with awful offensive performance and a host of injuries. Detroit had runners on first and second with two outs when Casey McGehee sent a grounder that glanced off James Loney’s glove, trickled past Walker and went into short rightfield for a single. With the bases loaded, pinch-hitter Ian Kinsler drove in the tying run on an infield single, hit softly, over pitcher Jerry Blevins’ head, and underneath Walker’s outstretched arm.

Kinsler hit a high chopper that he was able to beat out for an infield single, allowing Upton to score and tie the game at one.

Rodriguez relieved Sanchez to begin the ninth and hit leadoff hitter Alejandro De Aza. “The guys aren’t really anxious about what the numbers say”. “They’re really focused in on each night, and that’s important, especially this time of year”. Jacob deGrom allowed one run in 6/3 masterful innings, and the Mets (57-54) will not play a team with a winning record again until August 18.

NOTES: Mets RHP Jacob deGrom entered Sunday’s start having thrown shutout ball in his last two outings, each seven innings long.

It started a weekend ago after the Detroit Tigers returned home, following up a sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a sweep of the Houston Astros.

Mets: SS Jose Reyes (left oblique strain) is scheduled to play in a simulated game Monday in Florida. De Aza had a wrap around his right wrist after the game but said he was OK and expects to be ready for his team’s next game. He will return Tuesday when the Mets host Arizona with a new optimism about their postseason chances.