Everyone joins in hit parade in Mets' 15-2 rout of Dodgers
New York Mets leftfielder Michael Conforto high-fives teammates after scoring on a double by centerfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the bottom of the fifth inning during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, July 25, 2015, at Citi Field. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Sandy Alderson might have picked up some votes for Executive of the Year on Saturday night.
Sparked by Michael Conforto, who went 4-for-4, including two doubles, drew a walk, scored four runs and drove in one in his second major-league game, and trade acquisition Kelly Johnson, the Mets pounded 21 hits in a 15-2 rout of the Dodgers before a thrilled crowd of 39,744 at Citi Field.
The Mets have been starved for offense. On Saturday night, they had a feast with a season high in runs and hits.
On Friday, general manager Sandy Alderson called up Conforto from Double-A and acquired Johnson and Juan Uribe from the Braves.
Conforto picked up his first big-league hits after going 0-for-3 with an RBI in his debut Friday. Johnson, batting cleanup and playing second base, was 2-for-6 with a home run, one of four by the Mets.
"Glad to be a part of the slugfest," Johnson said.
Conforto said his first game was a "dream come true" but added, "This is more what I was dreaming about. Couldn't have pictured it any better tonight. Obviously, all the bats were going and we were scoring a lot of runs. I got my first win for myself. That's pretty cool to be a part of that. Lot of firsts tonight, so that's a first thing."
Conforto's father and some other relatives were in the building, but he said the ball from his first hit will be given to his grandfather, whom he called "my biggest fan."
The Mets also got four hits and four RBIs from Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who started in centerfield in place of slumping Juan Lagares. Daniel Murphy had a two-run homer and three RBIs, Lucas Duda homered twice and Ruben Tejada was 3-for-6.
Winning pitcher Matt Harvey went seven innings and also had two hits and two RBIs. It was the third straight game in which he has driven in two runs.
With the addition of the versatile Johnson and the veteran Uribe (who entered in the seventh and was 1-for-2), manager Terry Collins has two more legitimate big-league hitters than he did Thursday, when John Mayberry Jr. was his cleanup hitter. Mayberry (.164) was designated for assignment Friday.
Collins now has some choices -- which is what he told his players. "They've been put on notice it's time to pick it up," he said. "Whoever's swinging the bat's gonna play."
Harvey (9-7) allowed six hits and two runs with one walk and four strikeouts. He gave up homers by Jimmy Rollins and Joc Pederson. Rollins homered for the third straight game in the series.
The Mets scored four runs in the first inning against righthander Zach Lee, who was making his big-league debut.
Murphy had an RBI single and Conforto singled off Lee's glove for his first career hit and second career RBI. The ball trickled to Rollins, but Conforto beat it out to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. Nieuwenhuis then grounded a seeing-eye, two-run single to left to make it 4-0.
In the third, Conforto laced a two-out double down the rightfield line and scored on Nieuwenhuis' single to make it 5-0.
After Rollins' homer in the fifth made it 5-1, the Mets poured it on. Johnson homered in the bottom half before Conforto hit a double to deep center and scored on a double by Nieuwenhuis. Harvey's RBI double inside the bag at third made it 8-1.
Pederson homered in the sixth, but Murphy's two-run shot and Duda's solo blast gave the Mets an 11-2 lead. Conforto singled to left for his fourth hit and scored on Harvey's single.
"He's a good-looking hitter," Collins said of Conforto. On Saturday night, he could have been talking about anyone, though.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
