The Mets didn't have a lot of options on the mound in Friday's Subway Series opener against the Yankees, but they were able to patch things up towards the end with Reed Garrett the big hero as the struggling reliever got the last six outs and closed out the 6-5 win.
With his outing, Garrett was able to overcome some demons that have plagued him lately after an unbelievable two months to begin the season.
In 7.1 innings across the month of June, Garrett owned a 7.36 ERA and 2.05 WHIP before things really came crashing down on him in his previous outing against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 2 where he allowed four earned runs on three hits and a walk in 0.2 innings of what began as a close game.
Two days later, Garrett was right back out there in a one-run game late against the Yanks at Citi Field. But after pitching a clean eighth inning in what would've been a job well-done, manager Carlos Mendoza — without Edwin Diaz or Ryne Stanek and a bullpen that has generally been taxed recently — asked Garrett in between innings if the right-hander was up for one more.
"I was just making sure that he was physically feeling fine," Mendoza said of his conversation with Garrett in the dugout. "We’ve asked a lot out of him as of late."
When Garrett gave his skipper the go-ahead, Mendoza, who admitted that having Garrett pitch two innings wasn't his initial plan, told his pitcher, "give me everything you got here."
Garrett responded with a 1-2-3 inning, thanks to a nifty play by Jeff McNeil who hit the go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh, to strand Aaron Judge on deck and earn his third save of the season while giving the Mets the first win of the weekend series.
"It’s been a grind. The month of June was a grind," Garrett said. "…This is a huge series. This is what everybody in New York looks forward to so to get the last six (outs) was big for me and a little subtle reminder to keep going, keep fighting."
New York (NL) has now won three straight and improved to 32-13 at home. Meanwhile, New York (AL) dropped its fifth consecutive game as it manages problems of its own.
"I think we’ve shown a lot over the last month of just, like, who we are as a team," Garrett said. "I think if you back us into a corner, we’re going to fight our way out of it."
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