Pottsville’s Travis Blankenhorn scored the tying run for the New York Mets in the team’s 9th-inning rally to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at Citi Field.
Blankenhorn was recalled to the Mets from Triple-A Syracuse on Friday ahead of the weekend series with the Phillies. The Pottsville grad was called up to the Major League level after the Mets placed Jonathan Villar on the injured list.
This is Blankenhorn’s second stint with the big club in a few weeks. He was sent down to Syracuse, where he mashed the ball over the course of 7 games, batting .389 with 3 home runs and 13 RBI.
Blankenhorn Scores Tying Run in Mets Comeback Win Over Phillies
On Saturday, Mets manager Luis Rojas had Blankenhorn pinch hit for Jose Peraza to lead off the bottom of the 9th. The Phillies had just taken a 3-2 lead in the top half of the inning.
Blankenhorn reached on a fielding error by Phils’ first baseman Rhys Hoskins. He advanced to second on a walk to the next batter and got to third on an infield single.
Another walk allowed by Phillies beleaguered closer Hector Neris allowed Blankenhorn to score. Two batters later, Michael Conforto drove in the winning run on a sacrifice fly.
Blankenhorn’s stay with the Mets may be short-lived, assuming Villar returns but some productive at-bats could change management’s mind. The team, although in first place in the National League East, is hitting just .228 this season and is in desperate need of an offensive spark.
On Friday, Blankenhorn was put in right field in the top of the 8th inning of Game 2 of the team’s doubleheader with the Phillies, a game the Mets lost, 2-1.
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