August 17, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) pitches in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports Jesse Winker was once Public Enemy No. 1 for some New York Mets fans.
After his walk-off homer in the ninth on Wednesday gave New York a 4-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles and the series win, Winker may be a hero to fans who saved the loudest booing for when he was wearing an enemy uniform.
Winker’s new fans will hope for more heroic performances when the Mets’ crucial trip begins with the first game of a four-game series against the San Diego Padres on Thursday.
The Mets are 1 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the National League’s final wild-card spot.
Winker’s pinch-hit shot off Seranthony Dominguez was the Mets’ second walk-off homer in three games, and his helmet spike electrified the Citi Field crowd.
“A complete blackout moment,” Winker said of his reaction. “You just want to help in any way you can. I was really happy.”
Winker, acquired from the Washington Nationals before the trade deadline last month, has batted .288 in 18 games with New York while playing the outfield and occasionally starting as the designated hitter. The homer was his 12th of the season and his first with the Mets.
New York will begin the road trip with Luis Severino (8-6, 3.91 ERA) looking to replicate his previous performance of Saturday’s 4-0 win against the Miami Marlins. Severino allowed just four hits, walked one and struck out eight in his second career shutout and complete game.
Severino was effective in his only career outing against San Diego, allowing just one hit and two runs (one earned) in 6 2/3 innings while a member of the New York Yankees on May 27, 2023.
While the Mets made the cross-country trip a pleasant flight, the Padres will look to get back in the win column after an 11-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. That result prevented San Diego from winning the series.
The Padres handed the ball to Dylan Cease, who last pitched in Saturday’s 8-3 win at Colorado. Cease (12-9, 3.46 ERA) pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and three runs with five walks and five strikeouts.
He would like to avenge an 11-6 loss to New York on June 16 in which he allowed seven hits and seven runs in 3 2/3 innings with three walks and five strikeouts. That game ended a three-game winning streak for the Mets.
San Diego’s record since the All-Star break dropped to 22-7 with the loss on Wednesday, as the Padres moved into a tie with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL’s first wild-card spot. San Diego’s seven-game home winning streak also came to an end.
Although the Padres have a better record on the road than at home, they have become a tough team to play against in San Diego as the season has progressed. Playing in front of packed houses most of the time, they have won 22 of their last 32 home games.
“When we come home and play in front of this crowd,” third baseman Manny Machado said, “it gives us extra motivation.”
–Field Level Media