With a thin rotation and an overworked bullpen, the Mets needed Blade Tidwell to pitch deep into the second game of their doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers.
After Huascar Brazoban pitched a scoreless first inning, Tidwell entered the game and did not disappoint.
The 24-year-old making his Citi Field debut did exactly what New York had hoped, pitching 4.1 innings and looking sharp along the way. After the game, Tidwell said that “it was awesome” pitching in front of the home fans for the first time.
Even better for the right-hander? He was immediately handed a 5-0 lead after his offense took advantage of some good fortune, hitting back-to-back home runs, including a grand slam.
“It was awesome. The environment was electric and it was really cool,” Tidwell said. “It was a little different than on the road because you have your home fans behind you, but it was awesome. Couldn’t have asked for more.”
With a big lead so early in the game, it was imperative Tidwell make it stick considering the state of the Mets, losers of 14 of their last 17 entering Game 2 of the doubleheader while spinning in circles.
And so he did, a 24-year-old acting as the stopper for a team full of veterans and earning his first career win in the process.
“It feels great,” Tidwell said about the win. “It’s something you dream about your whole life and to go out there and do it is an unbelievable feeling.”
For manager Carlos Mendoza, the game went exactly as planned — get through five innings and figure out the rest later. Thanks to Tidwell (and Brazoban), New York got through 5.1 innings before calling on the bullpen to finish the job.
“That was kind of how we mapped it out today,” Mendoza said. “Going with an opener and trying to get five or six out of Tidwell there and then just trying to piece it together. But he was huge.
“I thought the fastball had life, I thought the secondary, the slider, the sweeper (were good). (He) threw strikes and when he got behind he came back and made pitches when he needed, so I thought he was really good for us today.”
Overall, Tidwell allowed three earned runs over 4.1 innings — the longest outing of his major league career. He gave up five hits and two walks and struck out three on 80 pitches (51 strikes). Entering the sixth inning, he had held Milwaukee’s red-hot offense scoreless.
He also outpitched fellow rookie Jacob Misiorowski who entered the game 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his first three career starts.
“To be able to beat an arm like that, that’s pretty electric right there,” Mendoza said about Misiorowski. “It’s 100 (mph), it’s a 96 mph slider and a 92 (mph) changeup, like you don’t see that.”
So what was the difference for Tidwell who entered the game with a 10.13 ERA across 10.2 innings? Execution.
“I think just executing pitches a lot better than I had previous outings,” he said. “Just get ahead and attack the other team. We had a five-run lead because our offense came through so it was just get ahead of guys.”
Finally able to get a little more comfortable in the big leagues has also helped the talented youngster who has even begun to learn a few things during his time in the majors.
“It all starts with strike one and if you don’t execute up here usually you get punished,” Tidwell said. “… It’s definitely helped being up here for a few days, getting my routine down and everything and seeing how everybody goes about their business. It just helps with the fluidity of everything.”