The Mets almost had another miraculous ninth inning comeback but fell just short, losing to the Mariners, 8-7, Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the Mets drop their first series of the season.
With one out in the ninth inning, Eduardo Escobar broke out of a 1-31 slump with a triple, the Mets’ third three-bagger of the game. Jeff McNeil drove him home with an RBI single. Patrick Mazeika followed with a single off the glove of the shortstop.
Brandon Nimmo, who had a two-run triple earlier in the game, hit an RBI double to cut the deficit to a single run, while putting two runners in scoring position.
Starling Marte struck out for the second out of the inning. Then the Mariners took a chance, intentionally walking Francisco Lindor to load the bases and face the NL RBI leader in Pete Alonso. They threw Alonso slider after slider and if he just kept the bat on his shoulder he would have walked. Instead, he was out swinging at a 3-2 pitch to end the game.
But it was the pitching, not Alonso, which cost this loss. The Mets used five different pitchers and not one of them pitched particularly well. The only one to not give up a run was Colin Holderman, who was called up earlier in the day when Tylor Megill went on the IL. But Holderman gave up two hits and was lucky to escape without any runs scoring.
In addition to Escobar and Nimmo, J.D. Davis also had a triple in the game. It was the first time since August of 2020 that a team had three triples in one game. Since 2000, there have been 132 games where a team has hit at least three triples in a game. And the team with the triples has won 111 times.
Just not today.
It was the pitching, not Alonso; you’re right. However, seeing Alonso flail at pitches in the other batter’s box is pretty lame. Up on the count 2-1, he swung at a pitch that was two feet outside and never started in the strike zone. And after seeing five sliders, think he can identify the sixth that started outside and finished a foot and a half outside? Making an out is one thing, bailing out a pitcher that can’t throw strikes is not what “the best hitter on the team” should be doing. Not very defensible. The Mets got so many breaks that ninth inning. From Mazeika’s roller that escaped the infield to his making it to third on a daring dash on Nimmo’s roller, they did everything right. Everything but Marte’s strikeout and Alonso’s strikeout as the last two outs of the game.
The Mets showed fight, but the Mariners are better than their record and they showed it this weekend.
I have to question why the Mets don’t safety squeeze at times like this. Marte a great bunter. John Schmoltz explained that the play is almost impossible to defend. As close to an automatic run as we have in the game. Several times this week players have struck out with critical runs on third with one out… I just hate to lose.
Gut Reaction: it was a nice run and they fought all the way. Although they lost it was and exciting game. It was disappointing that Marte and Alonso couldn’t make contact or recognize the pitches to lay off to get the run in. It wasn’t excusable.
The Cardinals are a good team so I’m expecting a 2-2 split and a disappointing losing home stand.
The Marte and Alonso ABs in the 9th were hands down 2 of the least professional for this season. Shame goes to both.
In trying to do too much, both did embarrassingly too little. Add Escobar, who seems to be locked into trying to hit a 6 run HR every AB.