If you were told before the game that Jacob deGrom would fan 10 in six innings, that Edwin Diaz would strike out the side in the ninth and that in the middle Seth Lugo and Adam Ottavino pitched, you’d probably say that added up to a Mets win. Instead, they were held to four hits and lost to the Cubs, 4-1, Tuesday night at Citi Field.
deGrom couldn’t find his slider early and he gave up a homer in the second inning and two scratch runs (aided by a non-call that sure looked like runner interference) in the fourth. After that, it was prime deGrom. He retired his final eight batters, including four of his 10 strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the Mets combined lazy batted balls and rockets hit right at fielders. The Cubs hit four balls with an exit velocity over 100 and went 3-4 on those. The Mets hit 11 balls 99.9 mph and higher and had four hits and a double play.
Pete Alonso, who just missed hitting a home run in the first inning that would have given the Mets a 2-0 lead but instead went on the wrong side of the pole, hit a monster shot in the ninth inning for the Mets’ only run.
Finally got to a game this year and hoped the fact that Jake was pitching would allow me to witness a Mets victory. I was wrong. The hitting was pitiful and no one worse than Vogelbach. We made yet another starter for a crappy team look like a Cy Young candidate. No help from the Giants this time and we are not even sure who tomorrow’s starter will be. Yes it’s just one game but there are only 19 left. No time for this continued let down.
Gut Reaction: This loss was unexpected. The Cubs surprised the Mets because a surprise bunt. It was the only way to hit deGrom. The risk paid off with the umpires help by blowing the call. The Mets offense is sputtering, one day good, one day bad. They need to spark and a tune up really fast. The division is in their hands. LGM