Mets Split Series With Giants Courtesy Of Late 5-4 Loss

The New York Mets (14-9) made their first appearance of the season on Sunday Night baseball on ESPN and went toe-to-toe with the San Francisco Giants. With Tylor Megill on the hill, the Mets went back and forth with San Francisco, but ultimately lost the series finale, 5-4.

Megill, who rivaled Ross Stripling for the Giants on the mound, did not have a 1-2-3 inning through his four innings pitched on Sunday. His first inning foreshadowed that he might have another rocky start as he allowed the first two batters of the game to reach base. Joc Peterson continued to be a thorn in the Mets’ side as he hit an RBI-single to put the Giants up early, 1-0.

The Giants added on another run with a solo shot from the bat of Thairo Estrada in the second inning.

Francisco Lindor put the Mets on the board in the top of the third, as he brought home Starling Marte to put the Mets in striking distance at 2-1. Marte reached base on a  single after the first two batters made out in the inning.

The Mets took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Jeff McNeil, Daniel Vogelbach and Brett Baty all reached base to start the inning on a single, a walk and single, respectively. That would knock Stripling out of the game early and bring Taylor Rogers in for the Giants. Mark Canha hit a would-be sacrifice fly for the Mets to tie the game at two, but former Met Michael Conforto dropped an easy fly ball resulting in an error and everyone else reaching safely. Brandon Nimmo scored another via a fly ball of his own to put the Mets on top 3-2.

Megill coughed up the lead in his fourth and final inning of the game. After allowing two of the first three batters to reach base via singles, Blake Sabol hit the third single of the inning to bring home Estrada. Brett Wisely then hit into a fielder’s choice to give the Giants the lead, 4-3.

San Francisco then swapped Rogers brothers, now going with Tyler Rogers on the hill who pitched nearly lights out in the fifth and sixth innings. Francisco Álvarez was the first Met to get a hit off Rogers as the Mets’ catcher sent one over the wall to tie the game at four.

Both teams’ bullpens worked their way around each teams’ lineups for the rest of the game, until the bottom of the eighth inning. Mets’ reliever Drew Smith walked Peterson to bring Mike Yastrzemski to the plate. Yastrzemski doubled to centerfield to bring the winning run home for the Giants who would win 5-4.

Players of the Game: Jeff Brigham

Jeff Brigham and the Mets’ bullpen led the charge after a sloppy start from Tylor Megill. Brigham, alone, pitched two innings and struck out four of the six batters he faced. Since being called up, Brigham has been lights out and has not allowed any hits. He has been terrific.

On Deck:

Next up, the Mets (14-9) have the day off on Monday, April 24, but return home for their first series against the Washington Nationals (7-14). The Nationals will send Josiah Gray to the mound against a pitcher to be named later for the Mets.