The Milwaukee Brewers scored three runs in the third inning and made those stand up, as they emerged with a 3-2 win over the Mets Sunday, and a sweep of their three-game series. The Brewers ended up taking five of the six games against the Mets this year.
Zach Davies was masterful for 7.2 IP against a Mets lineup with more subs in it than usual. And after Matt Albers got the final out of the eighth, Josh Hader came on to strike out the side in the ninth. Hader now has 9 IP against the Mets, has allowed just 1 H, 2 BB and has 22 Ks. It’s a level of dominance that’s almost impossible to understand.
The Mets’ first run came thanks to an unlikely duo. Keon Broxton snapped a lengthy 0-fer streak with a double and Tomas Nido drove him home with a single. Their other run came in an unlikely way, too. Juan Lagares, he of the 60.5 GB%, hit a rare ball in the air that wound up leaving the park for a home run.
On a day where offense was rare, Mickey Callaway went to his bench early, using Michael Conforto to pinch hit for starter Jason Vargas in the top of the fifth inning. Assuming no injury to Vargas, it was a surprising move by Callaway, given how depleted his bullpen was after yesterday’s 18-inning game. Vargas struggled in the third inning, but was very good in the fourth and overall had thrown only 50 pitches. Conforto walked but the Mets were unable to tack on any runs.
Newly-promoted relievers Tim Peterson and Tyler Bashlor contributed 3.2 scoreless innings to keep the game close. But the struggling offense was unable to mount a comeback.
The Mets looked like they were trying to lose with the lineup Callaway trotted out. Why rest almost every regular at the same time and on the same day your weakest pitcher is on the hill?
Someone forgot about the 18 inning marathon yesterday…
Surprisingly, Vargas has pitched rather well the last few starts. The real culprit in this game was Broxton blowing that very catchable line drive. Should have been out of that inning with no runs scored.
Vargas exited with a mild hamstring pull. The new Director of Performance and Health earned his money.
Gut reaction: deja vu all over again! And I don’t mean just this week. It is beginning to look like 2018.
The pitching was good, especially the bullpen. The hitting is in a funk and the defense sucks.
Callaway better right this ship and fast. There is too much much talent to be 2 games below 500
Rosario, Cano, Frazer and Nimmo I’m not producing. JD should get more time because of his offense.AH and Lagares should get more time because of their defense and they are producing similar offensively to the starters.
Sign Keucheel and put Vargas in the bullpen because I would have liked just seen Vargas pitch instead of Flexen .
The Mayor is taking reservations with the Mets constituency.