NY Mets: The big 5-run third inning that altered the 2015 season

We remember the 2015 New York Mets for a couple of things. One of them was their awesome turnaround in the second half in their quest for a championship.

Lost in our memory is how “easy” it was in the final two months to capture the National League East. The Washington Nationals were the only team regularly competing with the Mets in the division that year.

On August 2, 2015, the two teams played each other on a Sunday night to complete a series at Citi Field. Noah Syndergaard matched up against Jordan Zimmermann. The Nationals led the division by one game. A single 5-run inning would change this.

The big 5-run inning that altered the Mets season in 2015

An Anthony Rendon solo home run on the fourth pitch of the game put Washington ahead 1-0 before New York even came to the plate. The call was actually reviewed by the umpires, overturned to award Rendon with the dinger.

Zimmermann would erase all three Mets he faced in the bottom of the first. Like many Sunday night baseball games, this one was going by quickly and the fear of going back to school or work the following day began to sink in as the evening progressed.

Then the bottom of the third inning happened. Kevin Plawecki led off with a walk. Syndergaard bunted him over to second base and Ruben Tejada lined out. This was one of those games where the pitcher batted eighth. With Tejada making the second out, it didn’t look like it might pay off.

Cue Curtis Granderson stepping up to the plate.

Swinging at a 2-2 pitch, Granderson drove one into deep right field. Citi Field could not contain it. Granderson just gave the Mets the lead.

On the very next pitch, Daniel Murphy took a hack and placed another into the right field seats. In a flash, the Mets were ahead 3-1.

Next up was Yoenis Cespedes. A single to the left side of the field gave him his first hit with the orange and blue. He would get his chance to round the bases shortly after. The third lefty of the inning would take Zimmerman deep. This time was Lucas Duda’s turn to make a deposit into right field with a two-run home run.

Want your voice heard? Join the Rising Apple team!

Write for us!

The Mets would go on to win 5-2 with Syndergaard going eight innings and Tyler Clippard finishing it off. The victory helped the Mets tie the Nationals for the NL East lead. They would never again be tied or lose the division lead for the rest of the season.