Harrison Bader broke the tie with a slow roller to third base, leading to an infield single in the eighth inning. Edwin Díaz secured his first save at Citi Field since October 2022 as the New York Mets narrowly defeated the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Sunday.
“That wasn’t the usual way to score an RBI, but it got the job done,” Bader said.
In a tight pitchers’ duel, Mets rookie Jose Buttó and Royals starter Cole Ragans kept the game scoreless for six innings. The Mets left nine runners on base in the first seven innings, and in the eighth, Chris Stratton walked the bases loaded.
With two outs, Bader’s slow roller towards third proved lucky, as Maikel Garcia couldn’t make the barehand pickup.
“I thought it was going to hit the wall,” Bader said with a smile. “That was just a fortunate play and a play that went in our favor, which we like. I think we create our luck in this field and this game. That one worked out for us, and I’m very happy it did.”
Stratton then walked Brandon Nimmo, extending the Mets’ lead to 2-0. These were the most walks given by Stratton since Aug. 26, 2019.
“That’s an unusual outing, and it didn’t seem like he was missing by much,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro commented.
Díaz allowed a two-out homer in the ninth but managed to secure his third save of the season. This marked Díaz’s first save at home since October 2022.
After signing a significant contract, Díaz missed last season due to a knee injury sustained during the World Baseball Classic.
Brooks Raley earned the win, striking out two batters in a perfect eighth inning. The Mets have won seven of their last ten games after a winless start, securing three consecutive series victories.
