The Mets blew a 5-1 lead and couldn’t cash in with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning, which added up to a 7-6 loss to the Yankees Tuesday night at Citi Field.
The Mets scored two runs in the first two innings and tacked on another run in the third to go up, 5-1, with Max Scherzer on the mound. But Scherzer had trouble throwing strikes and when he did find the zone, the Yankees made him pay. They chased Scherezer from the mound with a five-run fourth inning.
The Mets tied it in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Luis Guillorme. But the Yankees immediately re-took the lead in the sixth. The game remained that score the rest of the way, as the Mets blew a golden opportunity in the bottom of the eighth.
Mark Canha led off the inning with a walk and an infield single by Brandon Nimmo put two runners on with no outs. Francisco Alvarez hit into a fielder’s choice and then Jeff McNeil was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
The Yankees brought in Clay Holmes to face Francisco Lindor, who was hitless on the night but with two walks. Lindor laid off some tough pitches to run the count full but couldn’t make contact with a pitch over the middle of the plate and went down on strikes for the second out. Starling Marte swung at two pitches out of the strike zone and fanned to end the threat.
In addition to another poor night by Scherzer, the Mets also had Drew Smith ejected for violating sticky substance rules. The pitching finds new ways to disappoint, seemingly on a nightly basis.
Look at the ERA of the last three Yankee pitchers, all under 2.50. Two whiffs with the bases loaded is painful. Like the old Led Zeppelin song, “The Song Remains the Same”. For all of this bad inconsistent baseball, they are still close in the wild card race.
7th straight game in which the Mets had a lead at some point in the game and yet they are just 1-6.
Instead of the baby Mets it’s the choky Mets
The trademark of teams with lousy pitching.
Scherzer has morphed into a junk pitcher with mediocre junk. He frankly appears finished. Maybe he can pull a Smoltz and and add value at the back end of the pen.
The Mets got Glavine right when the automated strike zone was employed. The Mets signed two ancient starters right when the pitch clock was employed. How convenient.
Starting pitching. Starting pitching. Starting pitching. That’s the ballgame.
There is not a lot of clutch playing team. Pham couldn’t get a hit when it really counted and the left too many in scoring position. A single or sac fly from Lindor should have happened. Missing Alonso who would have been up in pace of Marte.
Gut Reaction: Scherzer hold a four run lead again. The Mets scored six runs but still lost again. The team was 3-15 with RISP and didn’t hit in the clutch numerous times in the game. The middle relief fail again but this time the defense failed to make the play. Very discouraging and very worrisome.