Flushing– The magical June run continues as the Mets take down the Houston Astros and are now back over .500 for the first time since May 2nd. The offense continues to swing a hot bat with home runs from Tyrone Taylor to tie the game in the fourth, and Pete Alonso to give the Mets the lead in the sixth. However no one has been more due than the man that broke the game wide open with a three run home run in the sixth, Jeff McNeil.
“It’s been a tough year for me and I haven’t been happy with how I’m playing. It’s been a little bit frustrating for me because I haven’t been really able to pinpoint what was different in my swing, but I have been working really hard the last week or so. Some people told me some things that really clicked. The last game in Chicago really got in a good position to hit and everything felt good,” McNeil said.
McNeil recorded his 14th multi-hit and 3rd three-hit game of the season. It is no secret he has not played up to his standards at the plate, and frustrations have been boiling over all year long. In a time of positive reinforcement and a lively clubhouse McNeil has been able to stay the course to help lead the Mets to an opening series win.
“For him after going through a pretty tough stretch here, I have been saying I like the at bats as of late. Today finally getting results with the three run homer there is huge. Credit to him because he’s fighting, to go out there today and have a night like that he needed that,” Mendoza said.
The Mets are now 40-39 on the season and a game back from a playoff spot. They have a record of 8-2 in the last 10 games and a record of 16-6 in the month of June. They have skyrocketed past six teams to inch closer and closer to a playoff spot. With 31 days left until the MLB trade deadline the Mets may be potential buyers after being written off when they were 11 games below .500 at the end of May.
“They’re having a good time and they’re having fun, but at the same time knowing they had a job to do. That’s the mindset, we’ll come here, we will prepare, we push each other, hold people accountable, and at the end of the day we are going to go out there compete and have fun,” Mendoza said.
Tylor Megill will look to bounce back after giving up six earned runs in Chicago, facing off against Astros left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez in a 4:10 PM match-up.