Quintana shines in 300th career start: ‘A special moment for me’
THE NEW YORK On Sunday afternoon at Citi Field, left-hander José Quintana made his 300th career start. He once again provided the Mets plenty of time in an 8-4 victory over the Reds to win this weekend series.
Quintana pitched for at least six innings for the seventh time this season as he earned his third victory of the campaign by pitching six and a third innings, surrendering two runs on eight hits and striking out two.
Not bad for a person who began his season on July 20, when Quintana came back from missing the first half due to a stress fracture in his rib cage.
DJ Stewart’s sliding catch
On Sunday, the Reds were able to get to Quintana quickly by leading 1-0 after Noelvi Marte’s RBI single. But in response, Quintana kept Cincinnati scoreless up until the fifth inning, when he gave up Nick Senzel’s solo home run with two outs.
The trick, according to Quintana, was to attack the strike zone early and retire the hitters in need of no more than three or four pitches.
The Mets scored three runs off Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson in the third inning to take the lead from Quintana after falling behind in the first. A two-run double by Francisco Alvarez was the biggest blow.
Off reliever Carson Spiers, New York would score its final five runs, including four in the seventh inning. Daniel Vogelbach’s pinch-hit, three-run double was the game-winning pitch, effectively giving the Mets the victory.
Alvarez’s two-run double
“My teammates give me some really great support. After 300 big league starts, it’s a unique victory for me, Quintana said. “Being able to start 300 games means a lot. It signifies my health has persisted. It’s a unique number. I constantly make an effort to do my best. It’s a really emotional time for me, and a memorable one.
Buck Showalter, Quintana’s manager, has observed the left-hander’s leadership qualities since his return to play.
Vogelbach’s bases-clearing double
Showalter remarked, “Very quietly since he returned, he is the kind of man other pitchers are drawn to. “… The less experienced males pay attention when he says. He brings a lot and is a great pitcher, but it’s somewhat regrettable. When I see him pitch, I constantly consider the [half season] he was absent.
Together with his young teammates José Butto, David Peterson, and Tylor Megill, Quintana discusses the craft of pitching. They discuss how to approach the strike zone. He wants them to throw strikes to reduce the number of walks they take.
“We must avoid talking about walk totals. We must improve, Quintana remarked. “Since that is our primary goal, we will perform better. You will have an advantage over the batters if you attack the zone. The last few series, we have played more effectively. That is all we have been discussing.
Buck Showalter on 8-4 win
Megill has listened to Quintana’s counsel and appreciates the seasoned player’s strategy.
He has experience, of course. He has a great deal of expertise. He is really important. He has an exceptional track record of throwing deep into games, according to Megill. “You know what you’re going to get when he walks out there. It’s always the same. He is transparent. Anything is fair game for an inquiry. He is constantly trying to assist.