J.D. Martinez’s two homers lead suddenly hot Mets to fourth straight win
J.D. Martinez had said multiple times in recent days that the Mets suddenly have started to play with “no pressure,” and as if the rest of baseball is “counting us out.”
Martinez continued his recent offensive binge with two more home runs Saturday to support one of Jose Quintana’s finest starts of the season in a 5-1 win over the Padres at Citi Field.
Carlos Mendoza’s team suddenly has won four in a row — and 10 of its past 14 games since a players-only meeting in late May.
“I feel like the guys have been feeling more and more confident,” said Martinez, who went 3-for-3 with two walks and three RBIs. “I keep saying it, ‘Let’s just go out there and play hard and not worry about winning and losing. Let’s just play our game.’
“For me personally, I love to hit, I love to play ball. And I know that I prepare and do everything I can possibly do to get ready for every possible at-bat.”
The 36-year-old Martinez, a six-time All-Star who didn’t join the Mets until late April, now has posted 11 RBIs in his past seven games.
The veteran DH also had belted a walk-off home run against the Marlins on Thursday before driving in both runs in a 2-1 victory one night later to open this three-game set with San Diego.
“How consistent he is and the way he prepares and how he approaches every pitch, he’s a master at hitting,” Francisco Lindor said of Martinez. “It’s fun to watch, and it’s contagious. We all watch and learn. … He’s always done that against my teams, so I’m happy he’s on my side.”
Carlos Mendoza and the Mets (32-37) have been waiting for Quintana to contribute and needed him to at least last deeper than he had in allowing six earned runs over 7 ²/₃ combined innings in his previous two June outings against the Diamondbacks and the Phillies.
The $26 million lefty worked six strong innings Saturday, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts before Dedniel Nunez (two innings) and Reed Garrett recorded the final nine outs.
Quintana posted zeroes in each of the first four frames, and he retired nine batters in a row following a one-out double by Fernando Tatis Jr. in the first.
Still, the Mets also couldn’t score in the early going despite six walks through three by Padres rookie starter Adam Mazur.
They were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven runners in the first three innings, including the bases loaded in the second.
Still, the Mets displayed some strong defense in the fourth to keep the game scoreless, beginning with Brandon Nimmo reaching into the stands to snare a foul ball.
Lindor also ranged to his left and fed Jeff McNeil at second with a no-look backhanded flip for a force play to end the inning.
Lindor and Nimmo teamed up offensively from the top two spots in the lineup for the Mets’ first run in the fourth, chasing Mazur with consecutive two-out doubles for a 1-0 lead.
Martinez then greeted former Yankees righty Jhony Brito with a full-count homer to right-center for a three-run lead.
“He’s such a professional hitter,” Mendoza said.
Jackson Merrill recouped one of those run for the Padres with a first-pitch solo blast against Quintana with one out in the fifth.
Still, Quintana struck out three in the inning and maintained the 3-1 advantage through the sixth, finishing with 88 pitches.
Martinez smacked a leadoff blast to the opposite field in the bottom half, and Nimmo extended the cushion to four with his second run-scoring hit of the game in the eighth.
“He’s one of the best you’ll ever see,” Quintana said, when asked about Martinez. “I played against him a long time. … He’s always smart and he’s always prepared. He’s always hungry and he always wants to make damage. He’s amazing.”
