Mike Yastrzemski finished off a five-run 10th inning on Saturday with a three-run triple, securing a 7-2 victory for the San Francisco Giants over the struggling New York Mets.
The Giants, who managed to overcome deficits of at least four runs in their previous three games, pushed the game into extra innings on LaMonte Wade Jr.’s pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth against Edwin Díaz, who has now missed his third straight save opportunity.
Wilmer Flores singled on Díaz’s first pitch, and Ryan McKenna came in to pinch-run for Flores. McKenna stole second base with one out before Wade singled to right field.
“He’s going through it right now,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza commented on Díaz’s struggles. “We’ve got to continue to stay with him, work with him and get him through it, because he’s a big part of our bullpen.”
Díaz, who had a scoreless seventh inning in Friday’s 8-7 loss, had his first save situation on Saturday since allowing four runs in the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins on May 18. This month, he’s only managed to convert one out of five save chances, and his ERA has risen to 5.40.
In 2022, Díaz had a stellar record of 32 saves out of 35 opportunities with a 1.31 ERA before missing last season due to a torn patellar tendon in his right knee sustained while celebrating a win in the World Baseball Classic.
Reflecting on his recent performance, Díaz admitted his confidence took a hit after the outing against the Marlins, but he felt better about his performance on Saturday.
“How I looked, how I feel was way better than last week,” Díaz said. Brett Wisely kicked off the 10th inning with an RBI single off Sean Reid-Foley (1-2), and Patrick Bailey later drew a bases-loaded walk before Yastrzemski’s two-out triple off the left-center field wall.
“One run doesn’t feel like a big deal, like it does sometimes if you’re scuffling a little bit and things haven’t fallen your way,” Yastrzemski remarked.
Bailey, who contributed with an eighth-inning grand slam in the Giants’ 8-7 win, also had an RBI single in the sixth inning on Saturday. With four consecutive comeback wins, all on the road, the Giants achieved this feat for the first time since April 13-16, 1997.
