A quiet night from the Mets’ (77-72) bats wasted a quality start from Zack Wheeler, as they lost 3-2 to drop their three game series with the Dodgers (97-54) at Citi Field. They now sit five games above .500, and have fallen to four games back of a Wild Card berth with 13 games left to play.
Offense
The Mets struck first in the bottom of the second. With one out, Robinson Cano was walked, and J.D. Davis knocked a sharp line drive to right field to put runners on first and second. Then Brandon Nimmo sent another ball to right for a triple to drive in the pair of runners and make it an early 2-0.
In the bottom of the seventh, Cano singled and Davis was hit by a pitch to put runners in scoring position, but New York couldn’t capitalize with back-to-back strikeouts from Nimmo and Amed Rosario keeping the game close at 2-1.
Los Angeles took a 3-2 lead in the top half of the ninth and the Mets were unable to rally in the bottom of half of the frame. With two outs, Cano was walked and Joe Panik struck out to end the night.
The team reached base seven times on three hits, three walks, and a hit batsman, and went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Cano went 1-for-2 with two walks.
Pitching
Wheeler took the mound for New York and cruised through seven solid innings, tossing 97 pitches. He held the Dodgers’ potent offense to just six hits and one earned run, while striking out nine and walking none.
The only run scored off of the Mets’ starter came in the fourth when Wheeler surrendered a leadoff single to Max Muncy. After the first baseman advanced to second on a Chris Taylor groundout, Corey Seager singled to drive him in and cut New York’s lead 2-1.
Seager struck again in the seventh with a leadoff base hit to right. Then, with one out, Gavin Lux hit a bloop single to put runners on first and second. The starter’s night ended recording back-to-back strikeouts of Enrique Hernandez and Matt Beaty to get out of the inning clean.
Justin Wilson relieved Wheeler on the bump for the eighth and couldn’t get out of the inning. He walked Jedd Gyorko to kick off the frame, with the third baseman advancing to second on a balk and third on a wild pitch. A one-out double from Taylor tied it up, and Wilson was lifted for Lugo with runners on first and second. He lasted 2/3 of an inning recording two strikeouts, walking two, and allowing one run to score.
Lugo stopped the bleeding with one pitch, getting Will Smith to fly out to close the frame. He returned to pitch the ninth and gave up the lead after Hernandez doubled with one out, and Gyorko ripped a base hit to drive him in and make it 3-2. With two outs and a runner on, Muncy was called out on strikes but the damage was done. Lugo took the loss and now has a 6-4 record with a 2.82 ERA this season.
On Deck
The Mets travel to Colorado to open a three-game series with the Rockies on Monday evening. Steven Matz (10-8, 3.84 ERA) will take the mound for New York facing off with Antonio Senzatela (9-10, 6.87 ERA).
The game will begin at 8:40 PM ET. It will be televised on SNY and broadcast on WCBS 880 and ESPN-1050.
