David Wright started the day and it was good news for the Mets at Citi Field. Their Captain will return to the lineup September 29th, one final time and expected to retire after that. So there was that unofficial call to win this for “The Captain.” The Mets in turn won two games over the Marlins and took a four-game series.
That’s 9-1-2 in their last 12 series, and this one was chaotic with the rain drops and shuffling to get double headers played. Thursday at Citi Field it was a right day and night, perfect from all standards after 4-3 and 5-2 wins.
The first game, that started with no more than 100 fans fans in the stands, it was Michael Conforto and Todd Frazier that hit back-to-back home runs with two outs in the ninth inning. The first by Conforto tied the game and Frazier with the walk-off was the first back-to-back homers in a walk-off win for this franchise.
So you ask, if only this happened in May, June, and July? Things would have been different at Citi Field this week and the Mets would be in a pennant stretch, but Michael Conforto did not have a spring training, the Mets are basically all healthy, and the pitching rotation continues to be what was expected.
Here it is: 23-15 in their last 38 games, 35-30 since July 1. And after that dramatic first win, 13 home runs from this team in their last six games, 42 in in their last 31 contests since august 12. Oh, if this happened more often after that 11-1 start.
But it did not, and it’s building momentum for next season. David Wright was in the home clubhouse after the sweep and after a long and emotional day was a part of this team again.
“He was our leader,” Conforto said. “I’m looking forward to playing with him again at least one more time, taking the field with him, and I’m excited for that. It’s going to be fun.”
And these Mets are having fun again. It shows in the clubhouse and the presence of David Wright does make a difference. And the Mets have become a better team since the All-Star break, even though at times they revert to losing like they did so many times after that great start.
It’s something they can build upon as they go into the offseason and that presence of David Wright will always be there, probably not as their leader but in another capacity with the organization.
Wright just about made it official that September 29th, or the season finale the next day, would be his last. The word retirement was never used and manager Mickey Callaway did not see his team retire as the season went bad.
“They’ve been swinging the bats well and putting good swings on mistakes and they got two mistakes and they won a game for us,” Callaway said about Conforto and Frazier. “
No spring training for Michael Conforto and now he has found the swing after hitting four home runs and 10 RBI on the homestand against the Phillies and Marlins. The manager mentioned how Conforto has the confidence and “Playing the game again.”
“It’s been a couple of good weeks ,” Conforto said. “Team has also been coming along with clutch hits and putting more runs on the board.”
That’s six home runs and 15 RBI in 12 games this month, 14 home runs with 38 RBI in 52 games since the All-Star break, and now with 25 home runs this season and matching a career high in RBI with 68.
And David Wright will be in the lineup again, one more time at third base. Yes, it was a “Wright” Day at Citi Field.
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