A day after the Mets sent Robinson Cano packing, three of the players who survived the roster crunch showed why they are still around.
Then Carlos Carrasco put an exclamation point on Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep.
Travis Jankowski served as a spark plug as a fill-in leadoff man in Game 1, using his speed to leg out two infield hits and score three runs, and Luis Guillorme flashed the leather at shortstop as the Mets beat the Braves 5-4.
In the nightcap, Dominic Smith gave the Mets an early lead with a two-run double before Carrasco took over with eight shutout innings on the way to a 3-0 win at Citi Field.
Pete Alonso also went 4-for-8 with three RBIs between the two games, including a solo home run off right-hander Kyle Wright in Game 2. The sweep ensured the Mets (18-8) will have a chance to win their eighth straight series in Wednesday’s finale of the four-game set with the Braves (11-15).
“This team is a really good team and that’s just the beauty of it: everybody in this lineup can contribute on any given night and help the team win,” Smith said. “That’s what makes a good ballclub.”
Carrasco was coming off his worst start of the year but made it a distant memory. After giving up three runs over 18 ¹/₃ innings across his first three starts, Carrasco had gotten tagged for eight runs in 3 ²/₃ innings last Wednesday against the Cardinals.
On Tuesday, the right-hander scattered six hits and two walks while striking out five against a quality Braves lineup. He provided important length in the nightcap to give the bullpen a breather, as only Seth Lugo was needed to secure the save in the ninth.
“That was my goal, just going in there and throwing as many innings as I can to save the bullpen,” Carrasco said.
Carrasco, who held the Braves to 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position, became the first pitcher in MLB this season to throw multiple outings of more than seven innings.
“I think everybody pulls so hard for him because he’s such a quality guy,” Buck Showalter said. “He wants to contribute so bad. … It’s a reminder of how good a pitcher he is.”
David Peterson, called up from Triple-A as the Mets’ 27th man for the doubleheader, started Game 1 and gave up four runs over five innings — a line that was blemished by Matt Olson’s three-run shot in the fifth inning. The bullpen then went into lockdown mode, as Adam Ottavino, Drew Smith (two innings) and Edwin Diaz combined to preserve the one-run lead to close out the game.
The Mets’ “regular irregulars,” as Showalter calls them, took care of the rest.
Jankowski hit leadoff in Game 1 and made his impact felt. The speedy fourth outfielder, who would have been exposed to waivers had the Mets cut him to get down to a 26-man roster by Monday, beat out a pair of singles that didn’t leave the infield grass. He also stole a base, which forced a throwing error that allowed him to move up another 90 feet to score on a sacrifice fly.
Guillorme, who like Smith had minor league options remaining if the Mets had opted not to designate Cano for assignment, made a pair of stellar plays in the first inning to help Peterson settle in.
“Guys like [Jankowski] and Guillorme, they bring it in situations like this,” Showalter said. “Trav’s been a pro, that’s why we wanted to keep him. He brings some tools that we need. He’s a great piece for us and good teammate and plays the game right.”
Jankowski, the Stony Brook product, has embraced his role off the bench and believes he can help get the Mets where they want to go this season.
“No one’s going to be buying my jersey, but I still think there’s a big part of what I bring to the table that is very important and very needed to winning teams and championship teams,” Jankowski said. “I think that’s what we have in this clubhouse.”
