After scoring 21 runs in he first two games of the series in Detroit, the Mets hit a wall today and dropped a matinee to the Tigers, 6-2.
Casey Mize and Clay Holmes both had rough outings their last time out, and both looked good as the game began. Mize gave up a bunt single to Soto, who erased himself when he was caught in a rundown between first and second, and a single past the shortstop on the left side for Alonso, but kept the Mets off the board in both the first. Jeff McNeil lined a single in the second, but no
Met could drive him in.
Holmes had a good first inning, settling down after giving up a single to Colt Keith to start the game. In the top of the second, Holmes allowed a leadoff walk to Spencer Torkelson and, when Torkleson tried tagging up on a long fly ball to deep center, non-natural centerfielder Jeff McNeil caught the ball and fired it into second, nailing Torkelson for the second out of the inning. But a Zach McKinstry single, a reviewed catcher’s interference play that led to Javier Baez reaching base, and a single by Jake Rogers led to the first run of the game.
The Mets would immediately answer, when Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso both struck doubles to tie the game.
In the fourth, after Alonso flashed some leather on an unassisted double play, McKinstry lined a ground rule double to right. But Holmes bounced back, striking out Baez to end the frame.
Entering the fifth inning, Holmes looked to be having his best start since his mid-August gem against the Mariners. But walks to Keith and Kerry Carpenter shot up his pitch count and put two on with two outs. Carlos Mendoza decided to pull Holmes in favor of lefty Gregory Soto against the left-handed Riley Greene. A wild pitch by Soto pushed runners to second and third, and then Greene made him pay, lining a single and scoring two, putting the Tigers up 3-1.
The Tigers went to their bullpen and Tyler Holton took over for the sixth. Soto led off the sixth with a walk, and Alonso hit an infield single to put the tying runs on base with no one out. Nimmo then hit a ball to deep center that Javier Baez managed to snag with a bit of a jump, but Soto tagged to third. That was all for Holton, who gave way to Tommy Kahnle.
Kahnle’s first batter was Mark Vientos, who singled to left to bring in Soto and make it a one-run game. Kahnle walked McNeil, and the bases were loaded for Starling Marte with one out. Marte was first-pitch swinging, and he swung right into an inning ending double play, leaving the Mets down one run.
Gregory Soto was back out to worth the sixth and, despite some traffic on the base paths, got threw unscathed keeping it a one-run game. Kahnle also returned for the top of the seventh and, after getting two quick outs, he walked Lindor and got the hook. Will Vest came in and got Soto to ground out to first, stranding the tying run on base.
The continued Ryan Helsley reclamation project continued in the bottom of the seventh, and he gave up a single and a walk to begin his day. Helsley then served up a meatball to Carpenter which he deposited just over the right-field wall to put the Tigers up 6-2. Eventually, Justin Hagenman relieved Helsley and got the Mets out of the inning.
With Vest pitching in the eighth, Nimmo singled and, eventually, went to second base on a wild pitch. McNeill then walked but, much like in the sixth, Marte grounded out weakly to end the threat. Justin Hagenman would work a clean bottom of the ninth for the Mets, who entered the ninth down by four with the bottom of the order coming to the plate.
Old friend Rafael Montero pitched the ninth for the Tigers, and started the frame by getting Brett Baty to strike out looking. Pinch hitter Luis Torrens hit a soft-liner to short that was caught for the second out, and Lindor came up as the last hope for the Mets. Lindor drew a two-out walk and kept the Mets alive for Soto. Soto popped up to Greene in left to end the game, and struck his bat with his left hand in disgust while doing so. We feel ya, Juan.
The Mets have a day off tomorrow before traveling to Cincinnati to take on their Wild Card rivals, the Reds. David Peterson looks to put his rough start of last weekend behind him against the Reds’ Andrew Abbott.
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Win Probability Added
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Big Mets winner: Pete Alonso, +20.1% WPA
Big Mets loser: Starling Marte, -30.3% WPA
Mets pitchers: -24.6% WPA
Mets hitters: -25.4% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Pete Alonso’s RBI double, +11.7% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Riley Greene’s fifth inning single, – 22.2% WPA
