LOS ANGELES — The Mets lineup went from in the hole to almost whole Sunday, bringing much-needed offense and respite against a powerful opponent.
Javier Baez returned from a two-week injury absence and contributed to two important rallies, helping the Mets to escape Southern California with a 7-2 victory over the Dodgers. The Mets snapped a three-game losing skid and finished their West Coast jaunt 2-5. Their NL East deficit is seven games to the Braves, who have seized control of the race by winning nine straight.
J.D. Davis delivered the key blow — a two-run homer in the seventh after Baez’s second double of the game. It was redemption for Davis, who twice in the series struck out with the bases loaded to help crush rallies in one-run losses. Davis finished the day with four RBIs.
Baez, who went 2-for-4, raised his arms to taunt the sellout crowd of 52,749 after his double in the seventh. Davis then unloaded against Phil Bickford to give the Mets the big hit with a runner in scoring position they have lacked.
“I know we’re going through a struggle right now and we understand that we’re playing really good teams,” Baez said. “I think we have got the talent to be up there and I hope it comes back to us pretty soon.”
Francisco Lindor is still the missing link to the lineup. The shortstop is close to a return from an oblique strain that has kept him sidelined for over a month, but he wasn’t deemed ready for action Sunday. His activation is expected early on the next homestand, which begins Tuesday against the Giants.
“I’m really excited about getting out there with him,” Baez said. “He is almost there, too.”
Marcus Stroman, the team’s de facto ace in Jacob deGrom’s absence, gave the Mets a second straight solid outing against a formidable lineup. The right-hander allowed two earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings. In his previous start, against a dangerous Giants lineup, he allowed three earned runs over seven innings.
The Mets got frisky right from the start. Baez, in his first plate appearance off the injured list, smashed an RBI double after Brandon Nimmo had walked leading off the game against David Price. Davis’ ensuing double brought in another run and Jonathan Villar’s single gave the Mets a 3-0 lead.
If the first-inning lead seemed strange, consider the Mets’ only other scoring this month in the opening frame came on Aug. 10 against the Nationals.
“We haven’t done that much lately, and to see that I think there was more of a relief from an offensive standpoint by the guys, and also by the pitchers,” manager Luis Rojas said. “Our starters, or relievers, they always feel like they are pitching in a one-run game and it got to that point later, but it just gives you so much. You can concentrate. … It really impacts the game to have a little bit of separation so that first inning really helped a lot.”
The Mets added on in the ninth, receiving a bases-loaded walk from Davis and Jeff McNeil’s RBI fielder’s choice. Pete Alonso and Baez were both plunked by pitches to fuel the rally.
Stroman dented in the fourth, allowing a two-run single to Cody Bellinger with two outs that sliced the Mets’ lead to 3-2. But before the Dodgers could take another shot, with runners on the corners, Bellinger was caught in a rundown attempting to steal second and tagged out.
Jeurys Familia, Trevor May and Edwin Diaz each pitched a scoreless inning of relief behind Stroman.
“I think this can help to carry some momentum,” Rojas said. “The guys, they saw some things today that they know they can do and we can still be better than this and we know that.”