Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
The Mets sent Carlos Carrasco to the mound Tuesday night in Miami to face off against the Marlins.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached on an infield to begin the game. Bryan De La Cruz singled and Chisholm reached third base. Shortly after, Jesús Sánchez singled to right and it scored Chisholm for the first run of the game. Carrasco began the get things together as he struck out Lewis Brinson, and got former Met Joe Panik to fly out. Jorge Alfaro walked, but Isan Díaz ended the inning by grounding out.
Eddy Alvarez started off the second inning by reaching first base off of a fielding error by Francisco Lindor. Edward Cabrera then doubled in Alvarez to make it a 2-2 ballgame, which was followed up by a Chisholm fly out, a strikeout by De La Cruz, and an inning-ending groundout by Sánchez to end Carrasco’s rocky second inning.
Brinson began the third inning by getting a single which nearly took out Carrasco, but Panik followed up by flying out for the first out of the inning. Alfaro reached first base on a throwing error by Jonathan Villar. Marlins manager Don Mattingly challenged for a stadium boundary call. It was successful and Alfaro moved to second with Brinson going to third. Díaz hit a sacrifice fly to cut the Mets lead to 4-3. Alvarez got his first hit of the season with an RBI double to make it a tied ballgame at 4-4. Magneuris Sierra grounded out to end the inning. Neither runs were earned for Carrasco.
Chisholm began the fourth inning by becoming Carrasco’s third strikeout victim of the night. De La Cruz grounded out for the second out of the inning. Sánchez ended the inning by striking out, for Carrasco’s first 1-2-3 inning of the night.
Brinson began the fifth inning by lining out to Lindor, for Carrasco’s fifth straight retired Marlins batter. Panik singled to left, but Jeff McNeil bobbled it to make it a double. Alfaro flew out to Kevin Pillar who made a stellar play for the send out of the inning. Díaz grounded out to end the inning, and was able to keep the game tied at four a piece.
Just one of the four runs that crossed against Carrasco was earned. Sloppy defense marred what could have been a terrific start for the vet.
His final line was: five innings pitched, seven hits, one earned run, one walk, and four strikeouts. Carrasco’s 92 pitches were the most he’s thrown this season. The Mets will need Carrasco to continue to be on his A-game if they want to have any chance at making the playoffs this season. Carrasco’s 15.00+ first-inning ERA will need to be improved upon, but after that he owns a 3.47 ERA. Are we seeing the Carrasco of old? No, but we’ve seen a drastic improvement of late.
