Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets were officially eliminated from playoff contention before the team’s game versus the Milwaukee Brewers. To add salt in the wound, the Mets lost another one-run game, this despite a solid start from pitcher Rich Hill. Albeit would have been a tall task against a NL Cy Young frontrunner in Corbin Burnes. Nonetheless, the Mets lost their fourth consecutive game, and eighth in their last ten.

The first threat either team made came in the bottom of the second inning. The Brewers loaded the bases with no outs thanks to a single, a hits batsmen, and a walk. Hill responded by setting down the Brewers’ seven, eight, and nine hitter down via a strike out, shallow fly out, and another strike out. The Mets survived a bases loaded jam, with no outs, unscathed.

The Brewers were able to breakthrough in the third inning. Eduardo Escober tallied a two-out single to drive in two runs. The Brewers led 2-0 after three innings.

Photo by Chris Simon

The Mets would get the team’s first hit of the game to lead off the fourth inning. However, a pitch before Michael Conforto hit a double, Brandon Nimmo was thrown out trying to steal second. Luckily, this would not come back to fully bite the Mets, as Javier Báez drove in the Mets’ first run via a two-out single. The Mets did leave two men stranded in the inning, and did so again in the fifth.

Hill’s night was over after five good innings. His final line read five innings pitched, two runs allowed on two hits, and six strikeouts. Aaron Loup (1.0 IP, 1 H) relieved and pitched a scoreless sixth thanks to a double play with two men on. Trevor May (1.0, 1 H, 1 K) then navigated two-men on in the bottom of the seventh to keep the game at 2-1.

Seth Lugo (1.0 IP, 1 K) also pitched a scoreless inning. This brought the Mets’ bullpen total to three scoreless innings on the night.

The Mets came to the plate in the top of the ninth needing one run against one of the league’s best relievers: Josh Hader. Pete Alonso and Báez were retired via ground outs before Jonathen Villar walked. Jose Peraza, who homered off Hader earlier in the year, pinch hit but struck out to end the game.

The Mets and Brewers series will come to an end tomorrow afternoon at 2:05 PM ET. The expected pitching matchup is Carlos Carrasco (5.24 ERA) versus Freddy Peralta (2.64 ERA.

Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Player of the Game

Despite allowing two runs, Hill pitched a very solid game. He only allowed two hits and struck out six through five innings while throwing 97 pitches. He also got out of a bases loaded, no outs second inning jam to keep the game scoreless. Although the Mets did not make a playoff run, the veteran Hill provided nice stability to a rotation that desperately needed it down the stretch.

Worth noting, Nimmo was the Mets’ best player offensively, as he totaled three hits. He also had a very nice sliding grab in the seventh inning. He can certainly be regarded as a honorable mention this game.