Gut Reaction: Cardinlas 5, Mets 4 (10 innings — 6/13-14/19)

The grounds crew was put to work in this one, fooling us in the ninth inning as Edwin Diaz prepared to take the mound. Pete Alonso, glove in shirt, wanted to finish the game and was able to convince the umpires to try to make it happen. While it will probably be raining in Flushing for what seems like days by the look of the forecast, the Mets were determined to finish this game.

Earlier in the game Michael Conforto connected on his 13th home run of the season to score Jeff McNeil in the third inning. Jacob deGrom (7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 8K) was sharp in this one, lowering his season ERA to a cool 3.38. Jack Flaherty started for the Cardinals, and was chased out in the sixth inning by the Mets’ hitters.

A strange play happened in that sixth inning. The old 8-5-4 put-out at third base was performed by the Cardinals as Kolten Wong hustled to cover third while Todd Frazier attempted to tag from second on a sacrifice fly. It was a smart play by Todd Frazier but a smarter play by Kolton Wong. Nevertheless Dominic Smith who had scored Alonso earlier in the inning still scored on the play.

Seth Lugo relived deGrom and faced a tough part of the Cardinals’ order as the rain began to become heavier, but he struck out Paul Goldschmidt to end the inning after a lengthy and wet at bat.

Things only got wetter as puddles began to form in the infield. The rain certainly could have impacted a play in that ninth frame, as a throw from left-fielder Carlos Gomez died after bouncing on the way to Amed Rosario who was cutting it off. A possible play at the plate was nixed and the Mets had to come to bat in the bottom of the inning with the game tied at four apiece.

(Charlie here, taking over for Brendan).

If they were only still playing by the old school rules…

See, back in the day, the game would have been considered “official” and the score would have reverted to the last complete inning — in this case, the eighth, with the Mets holding a 4-2 lead. It would have been a tidy win and a nice entry in the W column for deGrom. But, alas, it was not to be. When play resumed on Friday, the Mets went down meekly in the bottom of the ninth. St. Louis did not in the top of the tenth. Edwin Diaz came back out to try and redeem himself from the damp night before. Too bad he couldn’t. Pinch hitter Yairo Munoz singled on a a fly ball to center and stole second. Matt Carpenter grounded out to first as Munoz crossed to third. Newest nemesis Paul DeJong singled up the middle, scoring Munoz. Goldschmidt hit into a double play and the dispirited Mets went down in order in the bottom of the tenth.

Stay tuned for the “real” game to follow.