The Sports Xchange
May 20, 2017
NEW YORK -- Terry Collins became the longest-tenured manager in New York Mets history in winning fashion Saturday night, when Michael Conforto scored three runs in a 7-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at Citi Field.
The Mets (18-23) have won the first two contests of the three-game series against the Angels (22-23).
With the win, Collins improved to 499-514 in six-plus seasons as Mets manager. The franchise's previously longest-tenured manager was Davey Johnson, who guided New York from 1984 until May 1990.
Conforto reached base four times in five plate appearances. He walked in the first inning and scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Neil Walker. Conforto walked again in the third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jay Bruce before doubling in the fifth and scoring on a bloop single by Walker.
T.J. Rivera had a sacrifice fly later in the fifth for the Mets, who added three runs in the eighth. Wilmer Flores had a pinch-hit RBI double and Jose Reyes added a two-run single while going 3-for-4, with the 2,000th hit of his career coming on a first-inning single.
New York's Zack Wheeler (3-2) allowed two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out five in five-plus innings. Wheeler exited after allowing the first four batters he faced in the sixth to reach base -- including Jefry Marte, who was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded -- but Fernando Salas sandwiched an RBI fielder's choice grounder by Ben Revere around two fly outs.
The Angels loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth against Neil Ramirez. Addison Reed earned his sixth save despite issuing a bases-loaded walk to Cameron Maybin, giving up an RBI single to Kole Calhoun and serving up a sacrifice fly to Mike Trout. Reed fanned pinch hitter Danny Espinosa to leave the bases loaded.
Andrelton Simmons had two hits for the Angels.
Angels starter Alex Meyer (2-2) allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits and four walks while striking out seven over four-plus innings. He also singled in his first-ever professional at-bat in the third inning.
NOTES: The Angels signed RHP Doug Fister to a major league contract. Fister was technically optioned to Class A Inland Empire, though he will actually head to Arizona for extended spring training. ... Mets C Rene Rivera went 0-for-3 as his 11-game hitting streak ended.