The Mets fell behind 5-1, rallied to put the tying run on third base in the eighth inning, but came up just short, as they lost their second straight game to the Braves, this one by a 5-4 score Tuesday night.
- Things fell apart in the sixth and seventh innings. The Braves strung together some hits in the sixth and aided by a dropped ball in the OF that Curtis Granderson should have caught they tallied two runs. The following inning Adonis Garcia connected for a three-run homer off Jerry Blevins and it felt like the game was over.
- But the Mets battled back. Granderson had an RBI double, T.J. Rivera added a SF and Eric Campbell delivered a PH single. After Kevin Plawecki reached on an error, the Mets had runners on the corners. But Travis d’Arnaud grounded out to end the threat.
- The Mets had another shot in the ninth. Asdrubal Cabrera delivered a two-out single, bringing Yoenis Cespedes to the plate. But the Mets’ big hitter was badly fooled and struck out on a breaking ball, the type he usually crushes, to end the game.
- Robert Gsellman started and had another solid game. He did not allow a run in the first five innings and struck out Freddie Freeman twice in the process. But the sixth inning he gave up a one-out ground ball single and then a dink to left to put two runners on. Terry Collins allowed him to face Freeman again, who drew a walk. Gsellman then got a pop to shallow RF that should have been caught but fell in for an RBI. Collins played matchups, yanking Gsellman to put in Josh Smoker to face Nick Markakis. The move didn’t quite work, as Markakis drew a walk. Gsellman’s final line was 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB and 6 Ks. He recorded 16 outs, 14 of which came by grounder or strikeout.
- Depending on what the Cardinals and Giants do later tonight, there could be a three-way tie for the two Wild Card spots.
Tonight I listened to Rose and Lewin as I drove down from Houston. Picked up the broadcast from the 6:30 pregame where they interviewed the new Braves manager until the top eighth inning. Their manager sounded confident and down to earth. That made me nervous. I’d prefer Price of the Reds who sounds defeated and in overwhelmed.
Three things during the game caught my interest:
– They mentioned that Bruce is a streaky hitter and right away I thought of Duda and how we lament his deep valleys. Why get another player like that when we know what can, and is happening?
– The Braves catcher, Tyler Flowers, threw out Justin Turner trying to steal third base on April 20th. It is the only base runner he has thrown out this year. Fifty-one base stealers in a row have been successful and he is 1-58 on the year throwing out base stealers. Talk about Wow! Why isn’t everyone and their mother running? Cabrera with a bad leg and a mediocre jump stole second.
– In the bottom of the fourth inning, after TDA made the last out, I was thinking about pinch hitting Nimmo to start the bottom of the fifth. After all, the bunting machine Gsellman was leading off and assuming he holds the 1-0 game, there is a well rested 300 man bullpen and the kid is still just a kid. Had it been deGrom, I wouldn’t have thought that, but deGrom isn’t an automatic out and has a track record as a starter. Granted, no one should have foreseen the Bad News Bears play of two veteran outfielders and if Gsellman goes on to throw a nine inning shutout, we don’t have to worry about scoring another run, but my point is that I didn’t like not putting together a better scoring attempt that inning and being happy with a one run lead when you have a very well rested and very, very, very deep bullpen.
Also, didn’t like taking Garcia for granted because he has killed our lefties all year and it had a nervous feel to it, but I guess Blevins deserved the chance to face him. Wasn’t surprised at the result however.
Before the nonbelievers deliver their eulogies for this team since the Mets lost two in a row to the worst team in the NL, i would just like the point out this is their first 2 game losing streak since 9/1-9/2.
Eulogies? no. But this morning Fangraphs places all three WC teams within 5% of each other for making the WC game.
The Cespedes Last out K was entertaining…. Even in a last ab fail, this guy is Awesome!!!! The Cork Screw Swing followed by that last pitch swing were epic!!!
All even and T minus 11 and counting for lift off!
I agree with Eraff, that was an exciting at bat.
Gsellman pitched good again. TJ Rivera hit good again. Blevins had an off day, a really bad off day. Bruce has hit bottom when he was pinch hit for with a AAAA player.
DeAza has been giving us good AB’s the past month and Conforto went 3-8 in his last two starts. Bruce needs to sit.
This is the “stumble” but they banked the three sweeps of the Marlins, Twins and Reds and are in a tie because of that. Lets win today!
There’s no way that any team gets to the finish line without setbacks, stumbles, loses. These Mets are certainly not a machine, or else they wouldn’t be in this position in the first place.
Nothing is easy.
The Marlins, with Stanton, are extremely dangerous.
Jay Bruce belongs in Milwaukee.
I don’t know how this will play out, but they’ve given us a season. I still think Dusty is Manager of the Year in the NL, but Collins deserves credit. He’s earned his pay and another season as manager.
Let’s Go Mets!
Oy.
Off-Topic: But all these comparisons of Jay Bruce with Jason Bay are completely unfair to Jason Bay.
Bay ran into a cement wall with his head — twice! — trying to catch baseballs. His concussed coconut contributed mightily, IMO, to his failures.
Bruce has just been a shrinking violet.
I think he starts tonight, btw.
Reading up on Jason Bay’s injuries, today I learned this fun fact: On June 15, 2012, Jason Bay ran headfirst into the left field wall chasing a ball hit by … Jay Bruce.
The guy has been messing with us for years.