Mets Notebook: Lineup Explodes to Win Series in Denver

DENVER — If there was a picture-perfect way to cap off a three-game set in Denver, the New York Mets had it on Thursday afternoon at Coors Field.

David Peterson was handed a 4-0 lead before he ever stepped on the mound and the Mets took the series with a 9-1 win over the host Colorado Rockies. The Colorado native threw 5.0 innings, giving up four singles and one run to earn the win and move to 6-1 on the season.

The victory not only secured the series win, but also moved the Mets past the Atlanta Braves, who lost 16-7 at home to the Milwaukee Brewers, and into second place in the National League East standings.

“I was just sitting there in the dugout, watching those guys do their thing,” Peterson said of New York’s first-inning explosion. “It’s always fun to watch and pitching with a lead like that makes my job easier.”

Francisco Lindor and the leadoff spot

It’s clear that the Mets have found something with Lindor hitting leadoff this season. Entering Thursday’s game in Denver, in 71 games in the leadoff spot, Lindor was slashing .288/.367/.507 with 50 runs scored, 19 doubles, 15 homers and 18 steals.

His combination of power and speed has set the table for the Mets during their recent run of success (they’re now 37-19 since June 2 on their way to an overall 61-54 mark). That continued on Thursday as Lindor led off the game with a double to left-center, the first of four consecutive extra-base hits for the Mets to open the contest and hand Peterson that 4-0 lead.

Nimmo’s “home field advantage” ends

Going 0-for-5 in Wednesday night’s win over the Rockies, including three strikeouts, Brandon Nimmo snapped a 17-game hitting streak at Coors Field. It was the longest active streak for any MLB player (including Rockies players) in Denver, the nearest MLB city to Nimmo’s hometown of Cheyenne, Wyoming (about 100 miles away).

It also marked the first time in 19 games he has played at Coors Field that he didn’t reach base. He entered Wednesday’s game with a slash line of .365/.429/.595 in Denver.

While Nimmo’s on-base streak ended in Denver, J.D. Martinez continued his in a big way on Thursday. With his first-inning double (part a four-run opening frame for the Mets), Martinez has now reached base safely in all 19 career games he has played in Denver (with 17 of those games including at lease one base hit).

He is batting .398 (33-for-83) with 10 extra-base hits and 23 RBI in those 19 games.

Alonso and the cleanup spot

Alonso found himself back in the four hole for Thursday’s finale against the Rockies, marking the third time in the series the power hitter has anchored the lineup. Alonso showed that power in his first two at-bats on Thursday, blasting home runs that went a combined 925 feet.

While Alonso seems like a natural for the cleanup role, the 29-year-old slugger has moved around the order this season, including batting second 24 times and third on 13 occasions. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza hinted that Alonso’s movement in the lineup, along with plenty of other shake-ups, could continue to happen as the push for the postseason continues.

“I’ll talk to (Alonso), depending on who we’re facing, who’s in the lineup,” Mendoza said. “Just trying to mix it up a little bit and maybe put a lefty between him and J.D. (Martinez) if J.D. is in the lineup. It all depends on the personnel who will be in the lineup that day.

“He (Alonso) is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win the baseball game. So with that, we’ve seen him in the two hole and in the three hole. We saw it in the five spot too. And it’s not only with him, but a lot of players that are moving around. I think it just makes us better when you have that many players that are willing to do whatever it takes.”

Can Alonso get to 40 home runs?

Now with 25 home runs on the season after his two-homer day on Thursday, Alonso seems to be getting on a power streak that could push him toward another 40-homer campaign. If he gets there, it would mark his third consecutive season with at least 40 round-trippers.

“It’s a great milestone, but ultimately I want to help the team win,” Alonso said Thursday of chasing 40 homers. “Ultimately, with my performance, I want to positively impact the team each day. Regular-season stats are obviously tied to individual effort, but I want that effort to go towards team wins.”

Lineup consistency important?

With the moving around that Mendoza mentioned above, does it impact the Mets to see a new lineup so often? Mendoza said it’s about hitting the right notes at the right time.

“I think there’s a balance,” Mendoza explained. “I like consistency but I also feel, at times, the importance of moving people around when guys are struggling. There are matchups and situations to look at. Personally, I like to stay consistent but I’m also not opposed to moving things around when we have to and it makes sense.”