After a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory over the Washington Nationals - capped off by a Francisco Lindor walk-off RBI - Mets interim manager Andy Green, SP Sean Manaea, RP Jefry Yan, and RF Carson Benge shed light on the team's recent turnaround.
Finding ways to winThe interim skipper beamed with pride as he talked about how his players have shown resilience lately.
"You don't play perfect baseball on winning streaks," Green explained. "You make mistakes, but you don't let that moment affect the next moment."
Green pinpointed some examples of this from the latter stages Saturday's win.
"Lindor came up to me and owned his baserunning mistake [of being caught stealing in the eighth inning], but didn't let it affect his game-winning at-bat. We also had two guys [Jorge Polanco and Francisco Alvarez] with tough days at the bottom of our lineup who got big hits in the ninth inning."
Another moment which looms large in hindsight was Benge gunning down Andrew Pinckney attempting to score from third base on a sacrifice fly, a double play which got the Mets out of the seventh inning and kept them within one run of the Nats.
Carson Benge shows off his strong arm again! 🚀
He throws out Andrew Pinckney at home! pic.twitter.com/XlsAiov2di
"It's amazing. I don't know how to describe it. He's automatic right now." said Manaea of the run-saving play by Benge.
Meanwhile, when asked about his arm strength and accuracy on these throws to home plate from right field, Benge himself mused that "It's probably my pitching [background]... I've translated it to the outfield pretty well."
Good vibes all aroundYan's arrival to the new-look Mets bullpen has been an undeniable feel-good factor for both his teammates and the fanbase.
"I want to thank the team," Yan relayed through his interpreter following his spotless performance on Saturday. "When I got into the dugout [entering the bottom of the ninth], I said 'let's fight back and win this game', and we were all together."
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to go out, have fun, and enjoy the game. It's helped me pitch with a little less pressure."
Manaea, Benge, and Green all echoed Yan's sentiment.
"We're playing free and easy," stated Manaea. "We're trying to make the most out of [this season], with young guys stepping in and playing well... it's been a lot of fun to be a part of."
"We're having fun and looking forward to coming to the field each day," Benge declared.
"When you have the resilience to know it will be hard at times, that's the foundation for winning baseball. You want to develop habits that induce winning going forward," Green concluded.
Leave a Comment