New York Mets’ Frank Francisco affected by heat at Citi Field as he struggles in the ninth - MLB
Citi Field was about to become a place of the relief pitcher Frank Francisco’s undoing. As a closer, he has been exceptional for the New York Mets. Therefore, when he was sent on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth, manager Terry Collins
was confident in his ability to wrap up the inning.
Contrary to this, his control derailed and walks were given up. According to Francisco, sweltering heat was the major factor behind his inability to retire batters early.
Still however he had enough to rescue the side at such a crucial stage of the game.
Immediately after giving up one run, he turned his best on and sailed to his 17th save of the season. Against the backdrop of restlessness prevailing on the face of manager Collins, he brought cheers back right away.
Outcome of the game was to decide whether the Mets will be sweeping the Orioles or not. In this respect, victory was more than just a normal triumph for the club.
Furthermore, rough-up Francisco endured, if it had worsened to an extent of hammering the club a defeat, starter Dillon Gee will have been an un-fortunate loser of the game, or at-least he will not have received fruit of his effort.
Francisco talked after the game and discussed how he has been preparing as a relief pitcher. While he acknowledged a doom he triggered for a while for the whole team, he asserted that heat had lot to do with it.
“I haven’t been pitching on a regular basis, but I keep doing my routine every day,” Francisco said. “I know it’s not the same, but I think the whole thing [last night] was the heat.”
Regardless of his outing on Wednesday, Collins put faith in Francisco and terms him as one of the most obvious choices for him during the penultimate innings.
“Well, he’s my closer, and actually he’s been throwing great,” Collins said. “Cripes, he hit 97 today and made some good pitches. [Wilson] Betemit’s at-bat is what got the pitch count up. I thought Frank was throwing it really good.“
As a relief pitcher, Francisco holds extreme significance to the Mets’ bullpen. Therefore, during an upcoming series against the New York Yankees, he has a major role to play.
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