Mets’ Comeback Effort Falls Short in Loss to Giants

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

After sweeping the doubleheader over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, the Mets took on the Giants Wednesday in the third game of the four-game series. Both teams sent their newly acquired All-Star starting pitchers to the mound as Chris Bassitt took on Carlos Rodón. It was Rodón and the Giants who came out on top, as they defeated the Mets 5-2.

The Giants came out swinging in the first inning. After a bloop leadoff single for Mike Yastrzemski and a walk to Darin Ruf, Bassitt allowed three straight run-scoring hits to Joc Pederson, Brandon Crawford and Wilmer Flores. Fortunately for the Mets, the Giants attempted to bring in another run with a safety squeeze, and the bunt from Thairo Estrada was hit hard and directly at Pete Alonso. On a play that looked nearly identical to the one that he failed to make in Washington, Alonso made the overhand toss home to get the runner for the second out of the inning. Bassitt then retired Steven Duggar to strand the two runners and get out of danger.

The second looked like it would be bounce-back inning for Bassitt after he retired the first two batters, but Brandon Belt came up third in the inning and hit a long solo home run into the Coca-Cola Corner to extend the Giants lead to 4-0 before Bassitt retired the side.

The third didn’t look like it would go much better when Pederson lined his second hit of the game to right field to lead off the inning, but Bassitt retired the next three Giants hitters to complete his first scoreless inning of the night. Before he could build off of the scoreless inning, the Giants jumped on him again in the fourth inning. Duggar singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Yastrzemksi drove in the Giants’ fifth run of the night before being thrown out at second base by Starling Marte. Despite the less-than-stellar start, Bassitt was able to give the Mets six innings by striking out Belt to end the fourth inning and retiring the next six Giants hitters.

While the Giants were scoring nearly every inning, Rodón was overpowering the Mets’ bats. Despite not having command of his curveball or his slider throughout the night, Rodón was able to work his way out of any trouble he found himself in by throwing nearly all fastballs. In four at-bats with runners in scoring position, the Mets went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, including strikeouts of Mark Canha and J.D. Davis in the bottom of the fourth on six straight fastballs. In his five innings of work, Rodón allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out eight Mets.

Once the Giants went to their bullpen, which entered the night with the lowest reliever ERA in the majors, the Mets showed signs of life. Marte came to the plate for the Mets with two runners on and two outs in the seventh inning, and dropped a bloop hit perfectly between two Giants to get the Mets their first run of the night. That rally was cut short when Marte was caught stealing with Francisco Lindor at the plate and runners on the corners to end the inning.

The Mets added on another run in the eighth when Alonso, Eduardo Escobar and Canha hit three straight singles to cut the Giants’ lead to 5-2. With two outs, it looked like Dominic Smith had just cut the Giants lead to just a run with a hit to left field, but Wilmer made a leaping catch at third base to end the inning with the three run lead intact.

Down to their final three outs in the ninth, the Mets’ final rally fell short. James McCann led off the inning with a walk, but the top of the order was unable to move him any further. Brandon Nimmo, Marte and Lindor were retired in order by Jake McGee to close out the win for the Giants.