Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Eduardo Escobar provided the New York Mets with all five of their runs in their 5-4 walk-off victory against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night at Citi Field.
“For him to come through for us late in the season, it’s huge,” said Taijuan Walker. “I knew he could do this all along and he’s doing it at the right time for us.”
After a couple two-pitch pop-outs in his first two-at-bats, Escobar began producing for the Mets.
With the Mets down 4-0 in the seventh inning and with Jeff McNeil at first base, Escobar homered on an 88.1 MPH changeup to make it a 4-2 ballgame. Escobar sent the ball 403 feet to left field with an exit velocity of 105.6 MPH.
In the next inning, the Mets were able to load the bases with one out. After McNeil popped out on the first pitch he saw, it was up to Escobar. He once again played hero as he hit a groundball single to right field to tie the game at 4-4.
In the 10th inning, Escobar came to bat with runners at first and second and one out. On the third pitch of the at-bat, he grounded the ball the other way into left field for a walk-off single.
THE EDUARDO ESCOBAR GAME!!! #TheseMets pic.twitter.com/GmHIHfntt3
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 29, 2022
Things did not always come this easy for the 33-year-old. On June 22, after the Mets fell 5-3 to the Houston Astros in a game that Escobar went 1-for-4 in, he vowed to the fans that he would one day give them reasons to cheer for him.
“The one thing I want to say is I understand the frustrations of the fans,” Escobar said on June 22. “I’m a professional baseball player so I’m trying to do the best that I possibly can. One day, I’m going to give them the reasons to cheer for me.”
Escobar picked things up since then, especially in the month of September where he has been scorching hot, batting .330/.379/.638 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs in 94 at-bats. Escobar’s 24 RBIs trail only his teammate Pete Alonso for most by an MLB player this month.
Despite his fantastic play as of recent, Buck Showalter does not attribute Escobar’s success to anything being done differently.
“You know what, the answer’s probably nothing other than he just never gave in,” said Buck Showalter on what he felt Escobar has done differently to result in the success he’s been having.
Escobar shared the same sentiment as Showalter.
“Like I’ve been saying, nothing’s really changed right now,” said Escobar. “The things came out the way they should have been because of all the work that I’ve been putting in, but the most important thing is that the team’s been able to win games.”
One thing that Escobar has benefited from in the month of September is a higher batting average on balls in play. After putting together a BABIP of .241 in June, .226 in July, and .214 in August, Escobar went into Wednesday’s game with a .333 BABIP in September. So while he may not be doing anything too differently, the balls that he’s putting in play are finding holes.
Following his walk-off hit, Escobar gave an energetic on-field interview with SNY’s Steve Gelbs in which he looked ahead to the Mets’ biggest series of the season against the Atlanta Braves.
“Let’s go and play 100 percent every day,” said Escobar. “I will make these people happy.”
The post Eduardo Escobar Carries Mets’ Offense in Walk-Off Performance first appeared on Metsmerized Online.
