Ex-Met Dominic Smith singled in the go-ahead run off Edwin Díaz in the 10th inning as the Mets lost 4-3 to the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field Friday after rallying from three runs down to tie the game.
Ronny Mauricio struck out with the bases loaded to end the game. Two batters earlier, Juan Soto popped out with two on and one out. The Mets (62-48) have lost four in a row, and with the Philadelphia Phillies winning, have now dropped into second place in the National League East by half a game.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Mets trailed 3-0 in the seventh when Pete Alonso hit a solo home run off starter Robbie Ray, who kept New York off balance with seven innings of one-run ball.
The Mets scored twice in the eighth. Soto smacked an RBI single off pitcher Joey Lucchesi‘s foot, the ball caroming into left field and allowing Brandon Nimmo to score. José Buttó, in his first game as a Giant, entered to face Alonso with runners at first and third and one out, the Giants up 3-2. Alonso hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3.
Making his Mets debut, Ryan Helsley struck out the side in the ninth while working around two singles, fanning Willy Adames with two on and two out.
David Peterson threw six innings of two-run ball and struck out four for his fifth-straight quality start. The Giants (55-55) got to the first-time All-Star for two runs in the second on a Casey Schmitt RBI double and a Jung Hoo Lee run-scoring groundout. This was the first time in the 11 games Peterson started at home that the Mets lost.
Peterson has allowed three earned runs or less in 19 of 21 starts, leads the team with 14 quality starts while his ERA sits at 2.83.
Patrick Bailey added an RBI double in the seventh off Ryne Stanek.
Before the game, Carlos Mendoza talked about the three Mets acquired this week ahead of the trade deadline.
Mendoza said Cedric Mullins does a lot of the little things.
“The way he runs the bases, first to third, that doesn’t go in the box score,” the manager said. “Getting a bunt down when you need to get a runner over. Cutting the ball in the outfield and keeping the double play in order. There’s a lot that goes behind the numbers that he does well.”
Mullins’ advanced defensive metrics paint a contradictory picture (negative-12 Defensive Runs Saved, per Baseball Reference; two Outs Above Average, per Statcast) and Mendoza was asked about that. The manager said he was an “elite defender” and added, “I’m not too worried about the numbers because I’ve seen this guy play and he’s pretty good out there.”
Mullins’ first at-bat as a Met came with two outs in the ninth and no one on base. He popped up in front of home plate.
Of bullpen additions Helsley and Tyler Rogers, Mendoza said, “there’s big time potential. No doubt about it. Expectation is for them to continue to be themself, to continue to go out there and get three outs when you give them the ball.”
Fun Facts of the Game
Rogers was drafted by the Giants in 2013, made his MLB debut in 2019 and, after seven years and 396 2/3 innings for the Giants, faces his old team this weekend. Buttó can relate. He was signed by the Mets in 2017, made his MLB debut in 2022 and, after four years and 167 innings pitched with the Mets, finds himself in the visiting locker room at Citi Field. Impeccable timing with this trade.
Player of the Game
Alonso’s homer was his 23rd on the year and No. 249 for his career, bringing him within three of tying Darryl Strawberry‘s franchise record. Hopefully, he will break out of the funk he’s been in since the All-Star break. He entered Friday 4-for-44 in the second half.
On Deck
Kodai Senga (7-3, 2.00 ERA) has given up seven runs in 12 innings (5.25 ERA) over three starts since returning from a strained hamstring that caused him to miss a month. The Mets, however, have won all three of those games. Kai-Wei Teng will make his season debut for the Giants. The 26-year-old from Taiwan threw 11 innings for the Giants last year in his rookie season. Game time is 4:10 p.m. on SNY.
