Going to the bullpen earlier than anticipated worked out well Monday night for the New York Mets.
The Los Angeles Angels weren’t nearly as fortunate trying to get only a handful of outs from their relievers.
The Mets will look to build on a stirring comeback win on Tuesday night when New York hosts Los Angeles in the middle contest of a three-game series.
Frankie Montas (2-1, 5.03 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against fellow right-hander Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 4.88).
Brett Baty started the Mets’ comeback with a two-run homer in the fourth inning before he scored the tie-breaking run with the benefit of an error in the eighth of a 7-5 win on Monday.
Such dramatics seemed unlikely when Mets ace Kodai Senga, who entered Monday with a 1.39 ERA, allowed a season-high four earned runs while lasting just three innings.
But five Mets relievers — beginning with Kevin Herget, who was making just his third big league appearance of the season, and ending with All-Star closer Edwin Diaz — combined for six innings of one-run ball to help New York tie a season high by overcoming the four-run deficit.
The Mets trailed the Baltimore Orioles by four runs before recording a 7-6 win in 10 innings on July 8.
“Unbelievable job, especially when the starter goes down after three innings and you’ve got a couple of (relievers) down,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Monday night. “It was a really good team win there.”
The win Monday was the second straight following a four-game skid for the Mets, who remained a half-game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East.
The defeat may have doubly damaging for the Angels, who were nine outs away from improving to 50-50.
Tyler Anderson, trying to get an out beyond the sixth inning for the first time since May 6, didn’t record one in the seventh. The Mets tied the score against Reid Detmers and went ahead versus Jose Fermin.
“It just (stinks),” Anderson said. “Being right up there and with the lead going to the seventh — we want to hold on to it and be celebrating that instead of in a bad mood.”
Los Angeles missed a chance to gain ground on the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners in the race for the last two American League wild-card spots. Both the Red Sox and Mariners lost Monday night and remain four games ahead of the Angels.
Montas earned the win in his most recent start July 12, when he allowed one run over five innings as the Mets edged the Kansas City Royals, 3-1. Hendricks hasn’t pitched since July 9, when he didn’t factor into the decision after giving up five runs (four earned) over 3 2/3 innings in the Angels’ 11-8 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Montas is 4-3 with a 2.57 ERA in 17 career games (14 starts) against the Angels.
Hendricks is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA in seven regular-season starts versus the Mets.