The Mets (34-27) were defeated by the Milwaukee Brewers (29-33) by a score of 7-4 this afternoon at Miller Park.
Pitching:
Logan Verrett got the spot start for the Mets today and was ineffective, tossing only four innings and burned through a lot of pitches. When all was said and done, Verrett was touched up for five runs on four hits, while walking four and allowing three long balls.
After a clean first inning, Verrett was erratic in the second even after being staked to a two run lead. Verrett gave the lead immediately back after Chris Carter hit a towering, Dave Kingman-esque homer to left to kick off the inning, followed by former Met Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubling and then stealing third.
Aaron Hill subsequently walked, and Ramon Flores hit into a double play, but Nieuwenhuis scored to knot up the game.
In the third inning, Ryan Braun launched a ball to central for his tenth homer of the campaign, and gave the Brew Crew a 3-2 lead.
The most devastating blow, however, came in the fourth. After Verrett struck out the first two batters, he walked Martin Maldonado, and then let up a no doubt home run to his opposition Wily Peralta, who for his career is 13-for-167 at the plate. Ouch.
Hansel Robles relieved Verrett for the fifth, and threw two scoreless innings before handing the ball over to Antonio Bastardo who let up back-to-back jacks to Scooter Gennett and Ryan Braun to give the Brewers a commanding 7-3 lead.
The Brewers walloped five homers on the day, three off Verrett and two more off Bastardo who now has a 4.67 ERA for the season and a 5.7 walk rate.
Offense:
Prior to the game, it looked like the struggling Mets offense could potentially string together something today as they were facing the aforementioned Wily Peralta, who came into today with a 6.79 ERA, good for worst in the league for all qualifying pitchers.
In the first inning, Curtis Granderson singled and stole second, giving the Mets an early scoring opportunity, which they would ultimately squander as the next three batters were set down in order.
The Mets got on the board first in the second inning, as after James Loney singled, Asdrubal Cabrera smacked his sixth home run of the year to left.
Curtis Granderson then lead off the third with a triple, but after a lineout and a double play, the veteran outfielder was left stranded at third as the Mets failed to score yet again.
In the fourth, the Mets went down 1,2,3, but it was a series of unfortunate events as the balls were all struck extremely hard, but would each find a Brewer’s glove.
In the fifth inning, with the Mets now down 5-2, Curtis Granderson hit a home run to cut the deficit to within two. Granderson ended the day just a double short of hitting for the cycle.
The Mets scratched out a run in the ninth, but it was all for naught, as Milwaukee hung on to win the game.
On deck:
The Mets will look for the series victory tomorrow afternoon, with Steven Matz (7-2, 2.39 ERA) taking on Zach Davies (4-3, 4.29 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 PM.
