Flushing, NY: The Mets tied a season-high with five home runs Friday night at Citi Field. But the Detroit Tigers, a team with the worst offense in the American League, were more consistent in banging out a 9-8 win that stopped a Mets four-game winning streak.
Though starter Gregory Soto for Detroit threw 2.3 innings, 5-runs and 6-hits, did not last long it was one of those games where the ball was flying out of the ballpark. Soto also collected his first two major league hits off Mets’ starter Noah Syndergaard.
Again, it was consistency and a rare win for the Tigers. They kept battling and got their 19th win of the season on what is a rebuilding year.
The Tigers’ bullpen of Victor Alcantara, Joe Jimenez, and Shane Greene kept the Mets from trying to extend a winning streak that started after losing five straight.
“We’re battling consistency,” said Mets’ manager Mickey Callaway. He was referring to Syndergaard and a starting rotation that has lacked the command to throw consistent back-to-back games.
Though the Mets offense did not quit and scored a run in the 8th inning, their 97 runs in the seventh inning or later lead the majors, again it came down to consistency and a starter who took his team out of the game early as the Tigers scored four runs in the first two innings.
“Mechanics were a little off,” Callaway said about his starter. One pitch was not effective, a fastball that the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera hit for a home run in the fifth inning that tied the game at five. It was the second home run of the season for Cabrera and first since April 26.
Cabrera has 2,729 career hits and is three shy of tying Tony Perez for 59th place on the MLB all-time hits list.
“Well, he probably won’t be able to raise his arm for a day or so, I would doubt it,” Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said about Soto. “You have to remember, we have Ramirez,(Nick) because he can swing it too and then I’ve got Norris,(Daniel) who believes he can swing it too, which he can.”
The manager was referring to a pitching staff that can also swing a bat.
“We got hitters, pitchers that can hit a little bit, so do they, they’ve got a couple of guys that can swing it too,” he added about the Mets home runs and their ability to also have a pitcher or two come to the plate.
Those pitchers have swung the bat at times better than pitching with consistency. Friday night there was no consistency from Noah Syndergaard who ended the night with a 4.93 ERA and another no-decision.
SIGNED AND MAYBE ON THE WAY: With injuries to outfielders and always looking for pitching depth, prior to the game the Mets announced that the club has agreed to terms pending a physical to a minor league contract with two-time All-Star right-handed pitcher Ervin Santana. Santana would first report to Port St. Lucie, FL.
Santana, 36, has played in parts of 15 seasons in the major leagues with five different teams. The La Romana, Dominican Republic native owns a 149-127 career record in 387 games (384 starts) with a 4.09 ERA (1,101 earned runs/2,421.1 innings) with 754 walks and 1,926 strikeouts. He was twice named an All-Star with the Angels in 2008 and again with the Twins in 2017.
The righty signed a minor league contract with the White Sox before the season and made three starts. He was designated for assignment by the club on April 26 and granted free agency on April 29.
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