Game Recap: Twins Mash Mets Despite Two Alonso Homers, 14-8

The Mets lost a rainy affair at Citi Field on Tuesday night by a score of 11-4 to the Twins. (Box Score)

Pitching

Jacob deGrom made his third start of the season tonight. The first inning looked like a typical deGrom start. He struck out Max Kepler fairly easily and got a few fly ball outs sandwiched by a bunt hit.

The second inning was much shakier for deGrom. Mitch Garver led off the inning with a home run. It was the first run given up by deGrom all season, snapping his 27 inning scoreless streak (dating back to 2018). He then walked Marwin Gonzalez but found a way to limit the damage granted, he did so laboriously. He threw 31 pitches in the inning.

In the third inning, he gave up a triple to Jorge Polanco and threw a wild pitch to let him score. It probably wouldn’t have mattered regardless because Willians Astudillo singled immediately afterwards. Eddie Rosario proceeded to homer right afterwards to make it a 4-1 game. Mitch Garver, the latest backup catcher to hit like Mike Piazza against the Mets, made it a 5-1 game with his second homer.

In the fourth, deGrom gave up a double to Byron Buxton and a RBI single to Max Kepler. He worked around further trouble but his night was done after the inning. His final line was: 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, BB, 3 K. It was a mortal start by deGrom who could not locate or command his fastball or slider.

Seth Lugo came into the game and pitched a quiet 1-2-3 fifth inning. He stayed on for the sixth and gave up a homer to Jonathan Schoop in the frame.

Luis Avilan got the seventh inning and got the first two guys he faced out but walked Eddie Rosario and gave up a single to Mitch Piazza. He buckled down though and got Gonzalez to ground out.

Robert Gsellman got the eighth inning. He struck out his first guy but gave up a double to Byron Buxton. He then proceeded to get a ground ball but a backhanded attempt to field the ball from Pete Alonso had the ball go right through his legs. It let Buxton score from second. Gsellman got the second out but he gave up a homer to Polanco with two outs.

Jason Vargas pitched the ninth inning. He gave up a leadoff double to Eddie Rosario followed by a single to Mitch Piazza. Jason Castro followed with a RBI single of his own. He then proceeded to give up a three-run homer to Schoop.

Offense

The Mets offense had their share of chances in this game.

In the second inning, Michael Conforto led off with a double. J.D. Davis walked right after him and Conforto came around to score on a Amed Rosario RBI double.

In the third, Brandon Nimmo began the inning with a home run to right center. Michael Conforto hit a ball off the Coca Cola corner a few batters later. The Mets made it a 5-3 deficit at the time.

In the fifth, Nimmo doubled to lead off the inning. Alonso struck out and Cano popped out but Conforto and Davis walked with two-outs. The Twins went to their pen and Trevor Hildenberger got Jeff McNeil to fly out granted, McNeil hit the ball much further than I initially thought.

In the seventh, Pete Alonso homered with one-out. Cano walked on the next batter but the Mets could not get anything else across in the inning.

Alonso would homer again in the ninth, giving him a Mets team record five homers in his first 10 games.

Some notable performances came from Conforto, Nimmo, and Rosario. Nimmo had solid at-bats and had a double and homer too. Conforto got on base three times and homered as well.

Amed Rosario went 3-for-5 while continuing to hit the ball hard. J.D. Davis went 1-for-3 with two walks.