Schwei's Mets Notes: Amazin's Enjoy Power Surge And Have Braves' Number At Turner Field
By John Schweibacher
» More Columns
The New York Mets went 7-2 on their first extended road trip of 2016, taking two of three in Philadelphia and sweeping Atlanta this past weekend.
The Mets' 3-2 win Sunday extended their winning streak in Atlanta to seven games. The Mets had never even won four straight games at Turner Field prior to this streak.
Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera hit back-to-back homers in the ninth inning of the Mets' 8-2 victory over the Braves Saturday night at Turner Field. Those two home runs gave the Mets 23 in the first eight games of their road trip. The Elias Sports Bureau noted that it was the highest home run total over any eight-game span -- home or road -- in franchise history.
The Mets' previous high for an eight-game span was 22 home runs from June 27-July 5, 2004. Richard Hidalgo hit seven of those 22 homers in that stretch, while Cliff Floyd and Ty Wigginton added four apiece.
Curtis Granderson hit two home runs, including a grand slam, in the Mets' 6-3 win in the series opener in Atlanta on Friday night. According to Elias, Granderson became the first Mets leadoff man ever to homer twice in a game with one being a grand slam.
MORE: Palladino: Mets Cannot Continue To Live By Long Ball Alone
Matt Harvey got his first win of 2016 on Friday night at Turner Field, allowing two runs on seven hits in five innings. It was Harvey's fourth start of the season, matching the most starts since Mike Hampton in 2000 by a Mets Opening Day starting pitcher before recording his first victory.
Here are the Mets' Opening Day starting pitchers who made more than four starts before registering their first win of a season:
· Roger Craig, 12, 1962
· Mike Torrez, 8, 1984
· Pete Harnisch, 5, 1997 (did not win any starts before being traded to Milwaukee)
· Tom Seaver, 5, 1974
· Jack Fisher, 5, 1966
The Mets came up short in their bid for a three-game sweep of the Phillies, losing 5-4 in 11 innings Wednesday night. Peter Bourjos knocked in the game-winning run with an infield single, the Phillies' 10th hit of the game.
It was the first time this season that Philadelphia has had 10 hits in a game. According to Elias, the Phillies' streak of 15 straight games without reaching double digits in hits to start the season was the longest of any major league team to begin a campaign since the Mets had a 15-game streak in 1978.
The Mets ended that 1978 streak with 10 hits in a 3-2, 12-inning loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Bobby Valentine got the 10th Mets hit that afternoon, a single in the top of the 11th inning that would have given New York the lead, but John Stearns was thrown out at the plate on the play.
The Mets hit six home runs in their 11-1 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night after going deep four times in their 5-2 victory over Philadelphia on Monday night. It was the fifth time in franchise history the Mets have hit at least four home runs in consecutive games. Here are the four previous instances:
· 9/28/05 at Phi (4) Anderson (2), Floyd and Wright
· 9/29/05 vs. Col (4) Wright (2), Piazza and Jacobs
· 5/6/05 at Mil (4) Piazza (2), Cameron and Wright
· 5/7/05 at Mil (4) Beltran (2), Wright and Mientkiewicz
· 6/18/87 at Mtl (5) Strawberry (2), Johnson, Carter and McReynolds
· 6/19/87 vs. Phi (4) Johnson, Wilson, McReynolds and Santana
· 8/2/62 vs. Phi (4) Thomas (2) and Throneberry (2)
· 8/3/62 vs. Cin (5) Thomas (2), Throneberry, Neal and Coleman
Happy Recap: Asdrubal Cabrera. The Mets' shortstop went 2-for-4 Sunday vs. the Braves and is hitting .395 in his last 10 games.
Nine Miles of Rough Road: Wilmer Flores. Flores' infield single Sunday was just his second hit of the season. He is now 2-for-21 (.095) in 2016.
