The Sports Xchange
Jun 24, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO -- Yoenis Cespedes highlighted a six-run second inning with a two-run homer Friday night, helping the New York Mets end a four-game losing streak with an 11-4 victory over the staggering San Francisco Giants.
Cespedes, Asdrubal Cabrera, Wilmer Flores, Michael Conforto and Lucas Duda had three hits apiece for the Mets, whose 20 hits equaled the club's season high, set twice previously.
Cabrera's big offensive game, which included two runs scored, came shortly after he made his intentions known to reporters that he was planning to request a trade from the Mets.
The second-year Met was unhappy to find out he'd be starting the game at second base in his return from the disabled list, having lost his shortstop spot to Jose Reyes.
Duda also homered for the Mets, who were coming off a four-game sweep against the Los Angeles Dodgers and began the night a season-worst 10 games below .500.
The two homers gave the Mets 22 in their last 12 games.
The Mets teed off on Giants left-hander Ty Blach (4-5), who was facing New York for the first time.
Winning pitcher Seth Lugo helped get the big second inning rolling with an RBI double that plated Duda with the run that broke a 1-1 tie.
Cespedes' homer, his ninth of the season, made it 5-1 four batters later. It was his fifth home run in seven games against the Giants since the start of last season.
Flores, Conforto and Travis d'Arnaud followed with successive doubles, completing the six-run uprising.
Duda's homer, his 13th, came against the Giants fourth pitcher, left-hander Josh Osich, in the seventh inning and completed New York's scoring.
Cespedes, who also doubled in a three-run sixth inning, finished with three RBIs, while Flores and Conforto had two apiece for the Mets, who had lost eight of their previous 10 games.
Lugo (2-1) won for the second time in three starts, allowing four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out two.
Gorkys Hernandez had a two-run single in a three-run sixth inning for the Giants, who lost for the 10th time in their last 11 games.
Denard Span, Joe Panik and Austin Slater had two hits apiece for the Giants, who were coming off a 1-7 trip on which their pitchers posted a 7.94 ERA.
Blach left for a pinch hitter after having surrendered seven runs and 11 hits in three laborious innings during which he threw 80 pitches. He walked one and did not record a strikeout.
The 11 hits allowed increased Blach's total in June to a major-league-leading 44. Teammate Matt Cain had been tied for the lead at the start of the day with 36.
Both teams had scored once in the first inning before the Mets' run-away second.
Flores' first hit drove in Curtis Granderson, who had singled to open the game, with the Mets' run.
Granderson had hit leadoff home runs in the Mets' previous two games.
Span's first hit and an RBI double by Brandon Belt got the Giants even in the bottom of the inning.
NOTES: The Mets also had 20 hits at Philadelphia on April 11 and at Atlanta on May 3. ... The Mets' top six hitting performances this season have all come on the road. ... Mets 2B Asdrubal Cabrera (sprained left thumb) had missed the club's previous 10 games. The Mets demoted 2B Gavin Cecchini to Triple-A Las Vegas to create a roster spot for Cabrera. ... The second game of the series, a nationally televised affair on FOX, features a pitching rematch from Game 2 of the 2015 World Series when Kansas City Royals RHP Johnny Cueto outdueled Mets RHP Jacob deGrom in a 7-1 win. Cueto pitches now for the Giants. ... Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (separated left shoulder) has been scheduled for a second simulated game in Arizona on Sunday. He could begin an injury-rehab stint in the minor leagues next week.