Watch: Cespedes, Mets erase 6-0 deficit in comeback win
Yoenis Cespedes wasn't about to lose on Independence Day.
Down 6-0 to the Miami Marlins, who ran all over Matt Harvey early in the contest, the New York Mets mounted a furious rally in the late innings to steal an 8-6 victory. It was Cespedes who led the way with a three-hit effort, but saved his most important work for last with a go-ahead, two-run double in the eighth inning.
The six-run comeback was the third-largest deficit overcome by the Mets in their history, just two shy of the record eight-run hole they overcame against Houston on Sept. 2, 1972.
The win was the Mets' fifth in a row, and came on the heels of a dominating four-game sweep of the MLB-best Chicago Cubs over the weekend. Manager Terry Collins was quite pleased his team didn't rest on its laurels after a stellar weekend.
"There was talk before the game - hey, is there going to be a letdown?" Collins told reporters. "There can't be right now. We talked to the team before the Cubs series and I said, 'We've got 11 games. We've got to grind it out 11 days. And then we've got a nice little rest. But we've got to grind it for 11 days. And if we do, we'll be OK where we're sitting when we go into the break.' So far they've done that."
Combined with the Nationals' 1-0 loss to Milwaukee, the Mets' victory leaves them just four back of first place in the NL East, and pushes their lead over Miami for the second wild-card berth to 2 1/2 games.
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)