Red Bulls Match Minnesota Late To Earn Draw

 

Omar Valencia firing in a corner kick in the 8th minute. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Red Bulls started strong early, and had to finish that way, to earn a 2-2 draw with Minnesota United FC on Saturday night at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Soto Sparks Mets Just When They Need It

 

Juan Soto rounds first base on his fourth-inning home run. Photo by Jason Schott.

When Juan Soto was in The Bronx for his cameo last season, it was easy to see he was this Yankees' era version of "the straw that stirs the drink," as Reggie Jackson was called when he led them to two World Series titles after a long drought.

Books: "The Love Fix" By Jill Shalvis

 

The Love Fix

By Jill Shalvis

Avon; paperback, $18.99; Ebook, $12.99; Digital Audio, $27.99; available today, Tuesday, June 24th

Jill Shalvis is a New York Times bestselling author who lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any possible  resemblance is mostly coincidental, and her bestselling books can be found at her website, jillshalvis.com, where there's a complete book list and she writes a daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Books: "Every Weapon I Had" By Paris Davis

 

Every Weapon I Had: A Vietnam Vet's Long Road to the Medal of Honor

By Paris Davis

St. Martin's Press; 320 pages; hardcover, $30.00; EBook, $14.99; available today, Tuesday, June 17th

Paris Davis is a former Green Beret and highly-decorated veteran of the United States Special Forces. His story is one of incredible heroism, as he served the nation in combat during the 1960s, one of the most polarizing times in the nation's history. He felt the effects of the two most pivotal events of that time as a young African-American, the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement.

Red Sox Sweep Yankees, Who Commence Their Annual Descent

 

Garrett Whitlock and Connor Wong after Boston won Sunday afternoon. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Boston Red Sox completed their sweep of the Yankees on Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 shutout win at Fenway Park, which begs the question, do the Yankees just suck?

NYCFC Stuns Atlanta With Second Half Blitz

 

Hannes Wolf flew past the Atlanta defense in the 59th minute...

To make it 4-0 NYCFC. Photos by Jason Schott.

New York City Football Club got in a rhythm on offense, and it flourished into a full-blown symphony as they routed Atlanta United FC, 4-0, on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium.

One Year Later: From Grimace To Greatness For Mets

 

Jeff McNeil hit a three-run home run in the first inning on Thursday afternoon against Washington. Photo by Jason Schott.

One year ago, June 12, 2024, the Mets got a spark from someone who would become a touchstone as they made their run to a surprise appearance in the National League Championship Series.

Grimace through the first pitch before the Mets beat the Miami Marlins, 10-4.

Brooklyn Digest covered that game, and here’s a sampling from the article, “Mets Mash Marlins On Night That Could Be Model Going Forward”:

“The Mets had one of their most complete games of the season on Wednesday night at Citi Field, as they romped past the Miami Marlins, 10-4. They got solid pitching from David Peterson and Dedniel Nunez, and a trio of home runs from Harrison Bader, Starling Marte, and Francisco Lindor.

The Mets (29-37) set the tone early when Peterson had a strong 1-2-3 top of the first, capped by striking out Josh Bell looking.

“In the bottom of the first against Marlins starter Braxton Garrett, a lefty like Peterson, the Mets offense got off to a fast start. Francisco Lindor led off with a double when Marlins center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. misjudged a liner, and then Harrison Bader then crushed one to right field for a no-doubt two-run homer. 

“That gave the Mets center fielder his fourth of the season, and 25 RBI on the season as well.”

The Mets led 5-4, then 8-4 before they “blew it open in the bottom of the eighth when Lindor led off the frame with a solo shot, his 11th homer of the season, and Marte followed with an RBI single that made it 10-4.

“Marte, Bader, and Alvarez had two RBI apiece, while Taylor led the way with four hits, followed by Lindor, Bader, and Marte each notched two hits.

“Peterson improved to 2-0 on the season, but since this was just his third start of the season, his ERA (earned run average) jumped from 3.09 to 4.32.”

A year later, Peterson is 5-2 with a 2.49 ERA after he threw a complete game shutout in a 5-0 win on Wednesday against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.

As you read, the Mets were 29-37 on this date a year ago, and  that victory began a seven-game winning streak.

The Mets reached the .500 mark, at 39-39, with a 12-2 blowout win over the Yankees at Citi two weeks later.

By July 2, the Mets had won 13 of 17 games, and that extended to 20 wins in 28 games over basically a month, and a record of 49-45 on July 13.

The Mets torrid pace continued through the summer, as they snagged a Wild Card spot with a record of 89-73.

That meant the Amazin’s went an astonishing 60-36 the rest of the way.

On Thursday afternoon, the Mets added one more to that total, as they completed their sweep of the Washington Nationals with a 4-3 win.

Jeff McNeil gave the Mets the early lead with a three-run home run in the first inning off Washington starting pitcher Mike Soroka. 

That was McNeil’s seventh home run of the season and gave him 22 RBI.

Brandon Nimmo got a home run off his own, a solo shot in the fifth that rang off the right field foul pole.

Mets starter Kodak Senga turned in a phenomenal outing, as he surrendered just one hit and one walk over 5 2/3 shutout innings. At one point, he retired 13 straight Washington hitters from when there was one out in the first inning until two out in the fifth.

Kodai Senga pitching to Nathaniel Lowe in the fourth inning. Photo by Jason Schott.

Senga’s afternoon ended in deleterious fashion, as he suffered an injury leaping up to grab a high throw from first baseman Pete Alonso at the bag to nab C.J. Abrams.

Senga came up lame, and was writhing in pain before he left on his own volition, and was promptly removed from the game.

Even though Washington scored three in the ninth to make in interesting, Senga earned the win to improve to 7-3 with a 1.47 ERA.

The Mets are now 45-24, and they have expanded their lead to 5 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies. 

That gives them 105 regular season wins in the past calendar year.

Overall, they’ve won 112 games because they won eight in the playoffs last year as they beat the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies before losing the NLCS to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.