New York Mets defeat San Francisco Giants 5-4 in 10 'brutal' innings

April 20, 2022

New York Mets and San Francisco Giants met at Citi Field on Tuesday. The opening game was a resounding success for New York. Francisco Lindor's walk-off single in the 10th inning gave the Mets a 5-4 victory over the Giants in the first game of a doubleheader.

Lindor's first walk-off RBI came in the bottom of the ninth inning when he hit a single to center field off Giants left-hander Jarlin Garcia. The Mets (8-3) started the fifth inning losing 4-1, but the aggressive shortstop hooked a hustling double to right field to finish off a fifth-inning rally.

“[Lindor] seems to be [dialing] up what we need about every time,” manager Buck Showalter said.

This was the Giants' third defeat of the season. It was, however, promising for the Giants until the fifth inning when they lost their footing. Both of Alex Cobb's doubles were inside the lines and he suffered a right groin injury as a result.

Mets’ dynamics during the game

Lindor's throw on Thairo Estrada's grounder had dragged the first baseman off the bag a half-inning earlier, allowing Brandon Belt to score from third with two outs. Lindor's average rose to .289 with nine RBI in 11 games.

Belt scored from third with two outs after Lindor managed to pull first baseman Thairo Estrada off the bag. Pete Alonso fought hard to defend the base with his right foot. His action resulted in Adam Ottavino staying in line for the win.

“Pete staying on the bag there, that’s a really hard play,” Mets Showalter said. “We’re lucky to have the best replay guy in the business in our guy [Harrison Friedland]. So that was a good play.”

Streaking no longer an option

The greatest opening-season streak in Giants history, nine games without surrendering more than two runs, was held by the team's starters. Back-to-back well-placed doubles in the fifth inning broke the streak.

Although Cobb was credited with four runs, three of which were earned, in 4 1/3 innings, he threw a much stronger game than the batting average would suggest. A bunt single and an infield single were among the six hits Cobb gave up, all of which were on the ground. Two doubles in the fifth inning, one of which slammed into the third base bag, were hit at less than 90 miles per hour.

Cobb did not allow a fly ball after the first inning, but he spent a lot of time sprinting to protect first, and paid the price in the fifth. Cobb gripped his groin as he walked off the mound with a two-run double. That was the last pitch he made.

“That was a brutal game for us,” Cobb said. “Having two nine-inning doubleheaders, and then the starter coming out as early as I did, is putting the team in a bad position.”

With two outs, Giants closer Camilo Doval walked Eduardo Escobar and Robinson Canó to begin the ninth. When Luis Guillorme sacrificed them to second and third, Doval struck out Travis Jankowski and Dominic Smith.

Right-hander Yunior Marte was able to make his debut when Cobb was placed on the 10-day injury list following Game 1. Manager Gabe Kapler said Cobb would get an MRI, but Cobb has shown signs that he would be back soon.

Jake
Jake Williams
Jake Williams is a sports gambling expert. He's been writing in the sports betting and DFS industry for over a decade. He specializes in MLB and NBA, along with College Basketball and College Football.