Brazobán Earns Clutch Save in Comeback Win

Clinging to a one-run lead in the 10th inning in Baltimore Tuesday, Carlos Mendoza had a choice. He could stick with All-Star Edwin Díaz, who had thrown 10 pitches in a 1-2-3 ninth inning, or he could put the game in the hands of Huascar Brazobán.

Since May 1, Díaz had allowed one earned run in 24 innings pitched. In the same time frame, Brazobán had surrendered 16 earned runs in 26 innings pitched. Mendoza went with Brazobán, a decision that likely would have been second guessed if it didn’t work out.

Jordan Westburg led off with the free runner on second. Brazobán struck him out, fooling him badly with a 92 mph change-up.

“Get that first batter out,” Brazobán said through a Spanish interpreter after the game. “You kinda go out there, you attack that hitter. Once you get him out, then it gets a little bit easier. You only need two more outs and you also stop that tying run right there from advancing. So at that point it’s just a question of execution.”

Brazobán got Gunnar Henderson to pop out to third and All-Star Ryan O’Hearn to ground out to second, securing a 7-6 victory in front of 35,200 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It was his second save of the year and his career.

Brazobán got off to a great start this year (his ERA was 1.62 on June 17) but has hit a rough patch over the last few weeks, giving up four runs twice and three runs in another outing. Whether the struggles are due to fatigue or ineffectiveness is anyone’s guess, but he has appeared in 38 games and thrown 46 1/3 innings. The four-year veteran’s career highs are 50 appearances and 58 2/3 innings pitched. He’s on pace to blow by those.

His confidence, however, hasn’t wavered.

“We all know what we are capable of doing as players,” Brazobán said. “We know what types of pitches we have. We know what type of talent that we have. And that’s what keeps our confidence as players at a high level. So even if you do reach a low point, you can always bounce back because you know the type of player that you are. You know the type of talent that you have.”

Speaking of bouncing back, the Mets (53-39) came from 6-2 down for their biggest comeback win of the season. Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso each hit two-run homers to tie the game in the eighth inning and Juan Soto singled in the go-ahead run in the 10th. Brazobán said watching all that inspired him and the whole bullpen.

“When the hitters make that effort to tie the game and then take the lead in our mind it’s alright let’s keep it there, let’s go out there and do our job and win the game.”

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