SAN FRANCISCO — Yoenis Cespedes launched his third homer in two games, then engaged in an elaborate high-five celebration with Neil Walker. Noah Syndergaard pumped his fist, exuding sheer delight when he got a double-play grounder late in his brilliant start.
Everywhere they looked Sunday night, the Mets left hints of a looming renaissance, beating the Giants, 2-0, to salvage a split of this four-game series. But mostly, the Mets conveyed that they have yet to give up on their season.
Whether the window hasn’t quite slammed shut is a matter of debate. They remain 4 1⁄2 games behind the Cardinals for the second wild-card spot, with some projections giving them less than a 10-percent chance of sneaking into the postseason.
But if they are to make a run, it will begin with the likes of Cespedes and Syndergaard, two of their brightest stars.
Cespedes’ 25th homer, a two-run shot to left, jolted the Mets to life after they had been stifled by Giants righthander Jeff Samardzija.
Syndergaard (11-7) threw eight innings in one of his most dominant outings of the season. With his full arsenal working, the righthander struck out six, walked two and allowed two hits. He was pulled after 98 pitches.
Jeurys Familia nailed down his 41st save, surviving a pinch-hit single by Buster Posey.
That Samardzija began the day with an 11.40 ERA in three lifetime starts against the Mets carried little relevance. Through six innings, he had a no-hitter and showed few signs of allowing them to come up for air.
The only baserunner in that span came on a walk to Syndergaard, on a 3-and-2 pitch that just missed and drew the ire of Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who jawed from the dugout. Samardzija expressed his displeasure by motioning toward plate umpire Clint Fagan.
The Mets’ best chances at hits had been snuffed out by the kind of plays that become immortal in no-hit highlight reels. Twice, Jose Reyes found himself deprived of hits. It began quickly.
Leading off the game, Reyes rifled a shot that looked destined for leftfield until shortstop Brandon Crawford dived to his right to smother the ball. He quickly unleashed a powerful throw to first base to nab the speedy Reyes.
In the sixth, with the Mets still searching for their first hit, Reyes hit a slow roller toward second base. His speed might have allowed him to leg out a hit. But second baseman Joe Panik snagged the ball and, without transferring it from his glove, flipped it to first base.
For the first time, the Mets’ starting lineup featured Cespedes, Walker, Asdrubal Cabrera and Jay Bruce, a testament to how beat up the roster has been this season. Yet they had managed no hits until the seventh, when Curtis Granderson changed everything.
Leading off the frame, Granderson doubled to leftfield over the head of Gregor Blanco. Cespedes stepped into the box and waited for his chance, a 1-and-0 pitch that he deposited over the leftfield fence.
Meanwhile, Syndergaard got some help. Because of his slow times to home plate, opposing baserunners have exploited the righty, swiping 40 bases in 40 chances entering play. Veteran backup Rene Rivera has become his batterymate, mostly because of his ability to control those runners, and last night, his presence paid off. Rivera caught two runners attempting to steal, snuffing out any hints of rallies against Syndergaard, who won consecutive games for the first time since June.
..... - Newsday