Mets left fielder Matt Reynolds’ first career MLB home run couldn’t have come at a better time. It was in the sixth inning of the June 22 game between the Kansas City Royals and New York, and it gave the Mets a lead that they would hold on to win and sweep the two-game series with KC.
Reynolds’ solo homer came off Joakim Soria on a 1-0 count with two outs in the inning, and it gave the Mets a 4-3 lead. Neither team would score for the remainder of the game after a tight pitching affair.
Mets ace Noah Syndergaard didn’t have his best stuff, as he allowed three runs in six innings on eight hits, and only struck out four batters. Even on his off-day, Syndergaard still threw what’s technically a quality start. He improved to 8-2, while his ERA increased slightly to a still-sparkling 2.08. Kansas City broke through in the fifth inning, scoring two runs on a home run by third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert and an RBI single by second baseman Whit Merrifield. The Royals took a 2-1 lead with the runs.
Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera got them right back though when he hit a two-run shot in the bottom half of the inning off of Danny Duffy, who started the game for the Royals. He lasted just 4.2 innings and allowed three runs on four hits and struck out eight.
In the sixth inning, Kansas City tied the game back up at 3-3 on right fielder Paulo Orlando’s single to left, but that set the stage for Reynolds’ big hit in the bottom frame.
Jerry Blevins, Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia each pitched a scoreless inning to preserve the Mets 4-3 lead for the victory. The Mets will hit the road for a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves, who recently swept New York at Citi Field, followed by a three-game series with the surging Chicago Cubs. The Royals will host the Houston Astros for three games, then have a four-game home-and-home series with the St. Louis Cardinals where the teams will split the series into two home games each.
