In what may seem like a recap of the previous game, the Mets kept the game close until surrendering a grand slam in the eighth inning that put the game far out of reach. And, once again, the Mets hitters stranded base runners throughout the night, failing to deliver clutch hits.
Jacob deGrom was less than his typical overpowering self, but still, three runs in six innings is a quality start and enough to give his team a chance to win. The Mets managed two early runs off a fresh-off-the-DL Clayton Kershaw courtesy of a Wilmer Flores RBI single and a Jose Bautista RBI double. Kershaw was pulled after three innings and the Mets held a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth. deGrom coughed up a two-run double to Chris Taylor to give the Dodgers back the lead in the fourth and it would stick as lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson (7.59 ERA) shut the Mets down for four innings.
Robet Gsellman pitched a clean 7th inning but the wheels came off in the 8th when he gave up four hits, including a grand slam to pinch hitter Matt Kemp. Bautista hit a home run in the 8th, his second in two days. Drew Smith made his Mets debut, pitching a scoreless ninth, albeit with two walks.
The bats are no longer dead. Again, the Mets got on base, but just couldn’t drive in the runs. Ten hits and two walks has to lead to more than three runs. The best news from today was that Hansel Robles, who’d been designated for assignment yesterday, was picked up by the L.A. Angels. Vaya con dios.
The series concludes tomorrow against curveball specialist Rich Hill. The Mets will try to avoid the sweep but, as of this writing, they’re yet to announce who will be pitching. Um, let’s go Mets.
Expect Flexen to be the sacrificial lamb. It could have been worse: Today the a Reds pitcher hit a grand slam. Can you imagine if a pitcher hits a granny what we would say about the server of it?
Matt, I haven’t seen either game this weekend, but the Dodgers always play a confident and aggressive game that their arrogance begets. Conversely, the Mets are willing to try their beat and have hope, unless something goes wrong. Has this continued from both sides this weekend?
The thing is Gus, no team is afraid of the Mets pitching at all. Sure, you draw deGrom, but he is not going to pitch 9. At some point the weak underbelly of the pen will show up and runs will fly. Its hard to see the Dodgers looking different from any other team playing this AAAA squad knowing they can win.