The Mets brought a 2-0 lead to the late innings but were unable to hold it, as they dropped the opener of the series to the Rays, 3-2, on a walkoff single in the ninth inning. The loss snapped a 7-game winning streak for the Mets.
It was a weird game for starter David Peterson, who looked on the verge of getting knocked out in the second inning but then came back to retire 17 straight batters. But Peterson got hit hard when he went back out to the mound for the eighth inning. He gave up a homer and a double before being removed. The Rays tied the game against Trevor May in the eighth and won it in the ninth.
Jonathan Villar gave the Mets the lead with a wall-scraper homer, a two-run shot. But the Mets were unable to put any other runs on the board.
It was a disappointing loss but it’s hard to blame the bullpen after it had pitched so well here recently.
AT 87 pitches, Peterson shouldn’t have been on the mound in the 8th. To compound matters, once he gave up the home run, he should have been replaced. If he doesn’t give up the double, the Mets may well have gotten out of the inning unscathed. IMO, this loss rests squarely on Luis Rojas. I’m not ignoring how poorly the bullpen pitched, but it was Rojas’ decision to stay with Peterson much too long that set up the situation in which their performance cost the game.
Peterson had retired 17 straight and looked awesome. At 87 pitches I absolutely bring him back out for the 8th. Hindsight is 20/20 and it’s easy to second guess because it didn’t work out but if he had pulled Peterson after 7 and the bullpen blew it many would be killing Rojas for that decision. An MLB pitcher can go more than 87 pitches when they are cruising.
Yeah, I wished better for Peterson. He overcame his deja vu, pitched out of the early jam and was stellar. Dominant.
This is a tough loss but it will make him a better pitcher in the long run.
Rojas? I don’t expect him to out-manage anyone in real time. He just does not have the experience to make winning, which are most often intuitive, baseball moves. He’ll win some, just not most close games like this one.
Hard not to be disappointed after this game, and understandable about blaming Rojas. Rojas’ explanation was the bottom of the order was coming up and Peterson still had a low pitch count. Rojas said that if he brings May in to start the inning, Lowe or Wendle – two of their best lefty hitters – could pinch hit for one of their bottom order hitters. So, while Rojas did consider warming up someone at the start of the inning, either way, he wanted Peterson to face to lower third and keep their better bats on the bench.
So long as Peterson said he was good, and his response was trusted as honest, I have zero problem with him starting the 8th. Zero.
I do agree with Bob above that I would have removed him after the HR. In that spot, my take with the starter is that a HR, BB, or HBP is on you and you are out. Very similar to game 5 WS with Harvey.
Treating game #32 like it’s game 5 of the World Series. Smh…
I would have left him out there to get to pitch #100 or 8 innings completed no matter what the results were. He certainly earned it after retiring 17 straight. And well, if he faltered, chalk it up to a developmental game and learning experience. I’d rather lose with the SP than with a RP.
Gut Reaction: they were facing a good pitcher and lost a well played game. Peterson was up for the task. The bullpen wasn’t their usually spotless themselves but no releiver has an ERA of 0.00. For that matter, 87 pitches and 17 straight outs , Rojas decisions in the 8th inning should not be second guessed.