The Mets smoked the Diamondbacks at Citi Field on Wednesday in a 9-0 outing, a game which also included 11 hits from New York. >> Box score
Five Takeaways from Wednesday's game
1) Todd Frazier and Brandon Nimmo got the Mets off on the right foot on Wednesday.
Amed Rosario doubled and stole third base and scored on a Wilson Ramos ground out. Then the fireworks started. A single by JD Davis scored Jeff McNeil, who was hit by a pitch, then Frazier cracked a two-run home run to bring the early score to 4-0. The Mets weren't done there though, as Nimmo hit his fifth home run to add another run on the very next pitch. Because of the damage, D-back started Robbie Ray only lasted 0.2 innings on the mound for the D-backs.
2) During the Mets' ensuing plate appearance, Jeff McNeil kept the rally going, hitting his 19th home run to right field, a bomb into the upper deck. McNeil doubled down on his homers, hitting another in the sixth inning, bringing the score to 9-0. Naturally, both were first pitch homers, 14 of his 20 homers are on first pitches.
But, McNeil wasn't the first one to hit second home run, that came via Frazier. In the third inning, Frazier hit an opposite field shot to right field putting the Mets up 7-0 after three innings as the home team scored in the game's first-three innings. It was Frazier's 11th career multi-homer game. McNeil also added a double.
3) On the mound, Steven Matz continued his dominance in Queens and in the second half of the season. Since the All-Star break. Matz had a 2.73 ERA heading into Wednesday in 10 starts. At Citi Field, Matz is now 7-1 this year.
Against the D-backs, Matz went six innings, allowing four hits with three walks while striking out three.
4) While Matz thrived, it wasn't all easy sailing. In one inning in particular, the second, Matz walked Wilmer Flores, Adam Jones and Nick Ahmed to load the bases. The Mets got the bullpen going, but they sat down quickly. Matz then struck out Carson Kelly for the first out and forced Kevin Cron into a grounder right to Frazier at third. Frazier quickly touched on his bag and made the quick throw to first to get out Cron and end the inning.
5) Speaking of the bullpen, the final three innings post-Matz went well. Jeurys Familia gave up two hits, but got out of the seventh with a strikeout and no runs allowed. Paul Sewald stepped in for the eighth inning and went unblemished with a strike out. Finally, Tyler Bashlor started off the ninth with a walk and hit, but also kept things clean, maintaining the shutout.
Highlights
Video: Frazier, Nimmo go back-to-back in 1st, Mets up 5-0
Video: Todd Frazier clubs 2nd homer of game, Mets up 7-0
Video: Jeff McNeil obliterates his 2th homer of the year
Video: Brandon Nimmo sets fastest HR trot in MLB for 2019
What's next
The Mets and Diamondbacks finish of their four-game set on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. Marcus Stroman (7-13, 3.42 ERA) faces off against Alex Young (7-3, 3.38 ERA). The Mets are looking for the sweep.