Mets’ pitcher helps his own cause with a grand slam in the
second inning
After the Diamondbacks scored three runs in the first inning to bring the score to 3-1 early in Wednesday’s game, Mets’ starter Rolando Robles started to get nervous.
But the butterflies swirling around in Robles’ stomach were dispatched in an instant in the second inning when the right-handed hurler connected for a grand slam to put his team up 6-3, on its way to a 9-6 victory over the D’Backs.
“He pretty much threw his own game,” said Mets’ manager Dale Barnes of his pitcher’s effort in Wednesday’s win. “I was only giving three signals out there. He’s been coming along just fabulous. We’ve been working on some things with him and he’s really been throwing well.”
Down 3-1 in the top of the second for the Mets, Danny Buzzetta led off by ripping a shot to the fence in right that landed him on third base with a triple. Trevor Buller was up next and he hit the 0-2 offering over the head of the Diamondbacks third baseman to bring Buzzetta in with a single and get the score to within one at 3-2.
With nobody out, both David Achen and Keegan Bielejec both hit safely to load the bases and give Robles a chance to get himself back in line for the win.
Robles was all over the 1-0 pitch, driving it deep into center field and over the fence, giving the Mets the five-run edge.
But the Diamondbacks were also hitting well on Wednesday, despite Robles’ command of the strike zone. In the bottom of the second, Tanner Lomanto reached first base thanks to a miscue by the Mets’ defense. Ryan Rojas was up next and he got a single that moved Lomanto over to third. Lomanto scored moments later with a speedy move to the plate after a pitch got past the Mets’ catcher.
Later in the inning, with two down and runners on first and second, Justin Patterson drilled a shot to center, good enough for a double and a pair of RBI as both Rojas and Grey Bayer came across, making it 8-6 Mets.
But that’s as close as the Diamondbacks would get. Robles continued to improve on the mound as the game got into its later innings. He struck out all three batters he faced in the third inning and finished the game with 12 strikeouts, the win and the game ball for his big effort.
“Once (Robles) started getting the ball down and his changeup going, it was pretty much lights out,” Barnes said. “He really had a good game.”
