Wilmer Flores Walk-Off Lifts Mets To Win

48 hours ago, Wilmer Flores was on an emotional roller coaster.  Thanks to social media there was rumors circulating that him and Zack Wheeler would be getting traded to the Brewers for Carlos Gomez.  Fans were giving Flores a standing ovation and once he found out those rumors, he started crying in the middle of the game.  Then when the game ended, Mets GM Sandy Alderson said that trade was NOT confirmed so Flores ended up staying with the Mets after all.  

After dropping the last two games, the Mets hosted the Nationals in a critical NL East battle in front of a packed Citi Field.  Matt Harvey took the mound for New York while Washington countered with Gio Gonzalez.  It was a pitchers duel throughout as Harvey looked like his old self.  He retired 30 straight Nats dating back to his last start against them and didn't allow a hit till the fifth inning.  

Wilmer Flores night started while he was at second base.  On the second out of the game he made a diving stop on a grounder, fired it to first and got a standing ovation.  In the fourth he hit an RBI single that was deflected by Nats shortstop Ian Desmond into the outfield that scored Juan Uribe.  

Matt Harvey struck out nine and didn't allow a run until the eighth inning before he exited the game.  The Nats tied the game on a Yunel Escobar single to centerfield that scored Danny Espinosa.  With the game tied at 1 the Mets brought in Tyler Clippard in relief to face his former team.  Clippard got out of the jam and it went to the ninth inning tied.  

Nobody was able to score so the game went to extra innings.  In the 11th inning Bryce Harper came up to the plate.  He struck out looking and he lost his temper.  Harper turned to the umpire and argued and got tossed from the game.  

The game would remain tied until the bottom of the 12th as new fan-favorite Wilmer Flores hit a walk off home run!  48 hours ago he was crying because he thought he was about to leave a team that he had been with his whole life.  In fact, he got drafted by the Mets at age 16.  48 hours later, he would be the one who came through in a critical game as he hit a shot into the left-centerfield stands to send Mets fans home happy.  

The Mets have shrunk their deficit to two games behind the Nationals for the top spot in the NL East.  For the Nats it doesn't get any easier as they will face Jacob deGrom on Saturday night.  It also marks the debut of new Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes who they acquired at the trade deadline.  The best part of that deal is that the Mets didn't lose anybody and still have Zack Wheeler.  Also, after tonight the Mets are certainly glad they didn't trade Wilmer Flores after all.