When the fans at Citi Field saw the name Kirk Nieuwenhuis slotted to be batting fifth in the New York Mets‘ lineup before the game yesterday, I’m willing to bet that nearly all of them rolled their eyes so far that they were in the back of their heads. At the time, I wouldn’t blame them, as the 27 year old outfielder was just 7 for 66, which is an average of .106, hadn’t yet hit a home run, and has been cut by two organizations in a short period of time.
Now he’s batting fifth for the Mets?
Well, that worked out. Nieuwenhuis not only had a great day, but he made history becoming the 10th Met in their 54 year old franchise to hit three home runs in a game, and became the first Met to ever hit three home runs in a game at home. He hit those three home runs in three straight at bats against Diamondbacks‘ starter Rubby De La Rosa, leaving everybody speechless, and received a well-deserved curtain call from the Citi Field faithful. Those home runs were all to different parts of the field as well, the first being hit to the opposite field and upheld under review, the second one being crushed to the deepest part of the park in left center, and the third one being pulled right down the line hitting the foul pole. It was extremely impressive.
The Mets’ fans were on their feet, and his teammates in the dugout were as well. They know how difficult this season has been for Nieuwenhuis, which made yesterday even more special. It was highly improbable, but that adds to an incredible story. He had one more plate appearance, attempting to become the first Met to ever hit four home runs in one game, but he struck out swinging. Even after striking out, he was given yet another standing ovation.
The Mets finished off the first half of the season on a high note, winning yesterday 5-3 against the D-Backs. They won 2 of 3 in both Los Angeles and San Francisco, and then coming home and sweeping the high powered offense of the Arizona Diamondbacks. After not winning a game in around two months, left hander Jonathon Niese has now won two starts in a row. He’s pitched extremely well, along with the rest of this rotation, and that is definitely a positive for the New York Mets. If their lineup can continue to contribute, they will be a team to look out for in the second half.
