Mets Beat Dodgers 6-4 Behind Marte and Bullpen

 

Mets RF Starling Marte (Photo Credits to Jonathan Hui-USA Today Sports)

The New York Mets beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 this afternoon at Dodger Stadium for their sixth consecutive win and improved their record to 12-8.

The Met offense got off to a fast start in the top of the first after LF Brandon Nimmo led off with a walk and then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Two batters later, SS Francisco Lindor drove in Nimmo with a ground rule double.

The offense did not do much in the next two innings, but in the top of the fourth, 3B Joey Wendle led off with a single and then stole second.

Catcher Omar Narvaez then grounded out to second and Nimmo was hit by a pitch.

RF Starling Marte followed with a RBI single.

In the top of the sixth, pinch-hitter Zach Short led off with a walk and then Narvaez followed with a sacrifice bunt.

Nimmo was then hit by a pitch and Marte delivered the go-ahead three-run homer.

In the top of the eighth, Marte reached on an error by SS Mookie Betts with one out and then stole second.

Lindor followed with a RBI single.

RHP Jose Butto gave up a RBI single to 1B Freddie Freeman in the bottom of the first, but worked out of a based loaded jam to prevent more damage.'

Butto escaped out of another based loaded jam in the bottom of the second and had scoreless innings in the bottom of the third and fourth.

He left in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and third with one out.

His final line was 4.1 innings, three hits, two runs, five walks and six strikeouts.

Butto did not have his best stuff and struggled with his command against a difficult lineup with three future Hall of Famers at the top of the order, but he still battled through it.

It's a testament to him that he did not get rattled with men on base and kept his team in the game.

RHP Michael Tonkin came in next and got the last two outs in the bottom of the fifth and was taken out in the bottom of the sixth with two men on and one out.

Tonkin picked up his first win of the season.

RHP Drew Smith followed and gave up a two-run single to 1B 

Freddie Freeman, but was able to get out of the inning with the lead.

RHP Jorge Lopez came on in the bottom of the seventh and threw a scoreless inning.

Lopez came back in for the bottom of the eighth and walked Betts with one out and was then taken out.

RHP Edwin Diaz came on and walked DH Shohei Ohtani and Freeman to load the bases with one out.

Diaz came back to strike out to LF Teoscar Hernandez and 3B Max Muncy.

RHP Reed Garrett closed it out with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth striking out the side and picked up his first save.

The Mets next game is tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, April 21 at the Dodgers at 4:10 p.m.