Pete Alonso was called out on a controversial play at the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning, sending the Mets to a 1-0 loss to the Cubs Wednesday night at Citi Field. The loss drops the Mets back to .500 for the season.
Alonso reached on a HBP and moved to third base on a ball hit by J.D. Martinez that former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong was unable to pull down on a leaping attempt at the wall. Jeff McNeil hit a fly ball to medium left field, Alonso tagged up and the ump ruled he was out.
The catcher was standing on home plate and looked like he was perhaps blocking the plate without the ball. But replay viewed that it was a legal play. Alonso’s slide wasn’t the best, with his hand coming up before hitting the plate. He still might have been safe. But the call on the field was out and there wasn’t enough to overturn the call.
After doing nothing for seven innings, the Mets put two runners on base in both the eighth and ninth innings with one out and were unable to score either time.
It was an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel between Jose Butto and Shota Imanaga, with the difference being a wild pitch. The only run scored on a double, a wild pitch and a sac fly.
Butto had trouble throwing strikes the first two innings but settled in to give six innings with just the one run. The outing lowered his ERA to 2.57 on the year. It’s getting impossible to imagine Butto being sent back to the minors once the injured starters return.
The Mets go for the split of the four-game series Thursday afternoon with Adrian Houser on the hill. Game starts at 1:10 p.m.
MLB statement from the Replay Center:
After viewing all relevant angles, the Replay Official definitively determined that no violation of the Home Plate Collision Rule occurred. The catcher’s initial setup was legal and he moved into the lane in reaction to the trajectory of the incoming throw.
The call is confirmed, as it is not a violation.
Additionally, the Replay Official could not definitively determine that the runner contacted home plate prior to catcher applying the tag. The call stands, and the runner is out.
Tough loss – agree with the calls but not the one to send Alonso from third. He’s not fast and while the angle of the LF was in his favor, it wasn’t probable like if it were Nimmo or Lindor or Marte. Another good start from Butto and another super outing from the pen. Time for Houser to step up tomorrow for the series split.
Head first slides into home plate are insane.
Jacob deButto certainly looks like he belongs.
Management should “order” players (even Lindor and Alonso) to slide feet first into home!
And, how about keeping the tag on a runner into 2B on a steal or pickoff?! I’m looking at you Jeff McNeil!
And what about practicing bunting before and after promotion to the majors?