Bautista’s grand slam with two outs in theninth inning lifted the New York Mets over the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 on Friday night.
”I was aware of it Phil Haynes Jersey ,” Bautista of his first walk-off homer. ”I guess sometimes it just takes a while.”
Todd Frazier walked and Devin Mesoraco singled to open the ninth against Chaz Roe (1-2). Amed Rosario’s sacrifice advanced the runners, Roe retired pinch-hitter Dominic Smith on a comebacker and intentionally walked Brandon Nimmo to load the bases.
Roe tried to come inside with a sinker on the first pitch to the slugger, who has 32 home runs in 157 games against Tampa Bay.
”Tried to get ahead early with the sinker and got too much of the plate,” Roe said. ”I knew he was swinging there.”
It was Bautista’s sixth homer of the season and gave the Mets their third win in their last 19 games at home.
Bautista remained unsigned through spring training, signed with Atlanta on April 18 and was promoted to the majors on May 4. He appeared at third base – a position he hadn’t played in years – and hit .143 (5 for 35) with a two homers and five RBIs in 12 games before he was released on May 20.
Lacking power after Yoenis Cespedes went on the disabled list, New York took a chance on Bautista two days later.
In 39 games with the Mets, the 37-year-old has hit .227 with four home runs and 18 RBIs. But over his last 17 games, Bautista is hitting .330 (15 for 50) with four homers and 15 RBIs.
And he’s certainly amazed Mets manager Mickey Callaway.
”I think that from what we’ve seen as a Met, it’s been outstanding,” Callaway said.” Top-tier production out of a guy that we got from Atlanta, who let him go. So that’s surprising. Now the guy himself, who has a body of a 25-year-old, stays in shape? Can never count those guys out.”
Tampa Bay had a chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth against Jeurys Familia (4-4).
He Daniel Robertson with a pitch, loading the bases Ugo Amadi Jersey , and first baseman Wilmer Flores threw out pinch-runner Hunter Wood at the plate despite his high throw following Mallex Smith’s grounder. Ump ires confirmed the call after Tampa Bay challenged.
Familia then struck out Willy Adames to end the threat.
Jacob deGrom was once again stellar for the Mets, allowing just one run and four hits while striking out eight and issuing one walk over eight innings.
It was the ninth no-decision for the staff ace.
”Like I said before, the goal is to win, whether I get the win or somebody else,” deGrom said. ”The goal is to win baseball games and we got a win tonight.”
Asdrubal Cabrera gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the third with an RBI single.
DeGrom, who has an 1.80 ERA in nine starts at Citi Field this season, gave up a tying solo homer to Adames in the fifth.
AN EYE FOR INTERNATIONAL TALENT
New York announced the signings of their top two targets in the new international free agent period. The Mets gave a franchise-record $2.7 million signing bonus to 16-year-old Francisco Alvarez from Venezuela. Alvarez was ranked No. 9 on Baseball America’s prospect list, and 13th on the MLB Pipeline list.
Freddy Valdez, a 16-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, received a $1.45 million signing bonus. Baseball America had him as the 29th best prospect, MLB Pipeline ranked him at No. 25.
FRESH FACES
Tampa signed LHP Shane McClanahan, the 31st overall pick in the draft, for a $2,230 Dwayne Haskins Jersey ,100 bonus, $5,700 above slot value. He was a compensation pick for the loss of Alex Cobb in free agency. RHP Matthew Liberatore, taken with the 16th pick, made his debut with the GCL Rays on Friday. He allowed one earned run, one hit, and two walks with one strikeout and a hit batter in 1 2/3 innings, getting the loss.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: RHP Chris Archer will return to the rotation and start Monday against Detroit. The ace has been on the disabled list June 5 due to a left abdominal strain. Archer is 3-4 with a 4.24 ERA in 13 starts this season.
Mets: Manager Mickey Callaway said that it would be ”ideal” for RHP Noah Syndergaard to start July 13 vs against Washington if all goes well with his rehab start Sunday at Class A Brooklyn.
MOVES
Rays: Tampa Bay recalled LHP Adam Kolarek from Triple-A Durham and designated OF Jerry Hazelbaker for assignment.
Mets: RHP Paul Sewald was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas and LHP Jerry Blevins was placed on the bereavement list.
UP NEXT
Rays: Blake Snell (11-4, 2.24 ERA) starts the second game of the series. Snell has won his last three outings, allowing just two runs and eight hits while striking out 26 despite 12 walks in 21 innings.
Mets: Steven Matz (4-5, 3.46) gets the nod in his first start against Tampa Bay. Opponents are hitting just .167 (17 for 102) with runners in scoring position against the New York lefty.
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RENTON, Wash. (AP) — There was no chance the phone call intended for D.K. Metcalf was someone pulling a prank.Not when it was a video call and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was on the other end.“I was amazed, kind of shocked. But I had to realize that was my teammate and I wasn’t a fan anymore,” Metcalf said.If Metcalf needed a welcome to the NFL moment D.K. Metcalf Jersey , it arrived when his new quarterback reached out to welcome him to the Seattle. And it has continued during Metcalf’s first weekend with the Seahawks during their rookie camp where the wide receiver has been the star attraction.At 6-foot-4 and nearly 230 pounds, he’s hard to miss. Throw in a handful of leaping catches through the first two days — albeit against defenders being told not to make plays on the ball — and it’s easy to see what made Seattle so attracted to Metcalf.Asked what excites him most about his new wide receiver, Pete Carroll said: “Well, it’s almost like, what doesn’t, you know?”“He’s big and he’s fast. He’s got really good feet, you know, and his catching range was exhibited today for a start,” Carroll continued. “And you know, we’ve got to figure it out, figure out where it is, maybe even more unique than we thought coming in. So we just develop it as we go. But big and really fast and the catching range was really obvious.”Even his new teammates are a little in awe of what Metcalf can bring. Defensive back Ugo Amadi was taken in the fourth round and once tried to convince Metcalf to go to Mississippi when they were in high school. He used “monster” and “freak” to describe Metcalf.“I used to go up against him in high school, we used to go to camps together, he was that big in high school and I was still my size http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cody-barton-jersey ,” the 5-9 Amadi said. “He’s going to be definitely a threat when the season comes.”Metcalf’s pre-draft workouts sent the league buzzing with his 4.33 40-yard dash, but his draft slide created even more attention. Expected to potentially go in the first round, Metcalf ended up being selected with the 64th pick in the second round after Seattle traded up to select the big wide receiver Carroll has long coveted. The selection ended an uneasy wait for Metcalf and the emotion came pouring out in his phone call with Carroll and general manager John Schneider.But all of that is in the past. Seattle’s rookie minicamp is the beginning of Metcalf proving the concerns which caused him to slide on draft boards were unfounded.“Just be me. I don’t have to prove anything to anybody. I’m just going to be myself,” Metcalf said.Route running has been one of the criticisms Metcalf has faced. He spent a significant amount of time before the draft working with wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan in Arizona. The 74-year-old Sullivan coached wide receivers for six NFL teams beginning in 1992 and ending in 2016 with Jacksonville. It didn’t take long for Metcalf to respect what Sullivan had to say after mentioning two of the receivers he had coached were Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.Metcalf said there were little tips from Sullivan — like being more decisive in his breaks — that he has tried to show in his first days with Seattle.Carroll wasn’t as concerned about the route running. His initial focus was on Metcalf’s feet and whether what showed on film matched what he saw in person.“You know, sometimes the bigger guys the feet just don’t move as quick. His feet were really, really lightning quick and it showed it out here already,” Carroll said. “So that means that the potential is there to make him an excellent releaser. He’s already going to be really strong and using his hands, getting off the ball, but to have that combination, when we get a chance to tie it all together, it should be a really good package.”
