How many solid pitching performances have the Mets wasted this season? Ten? Fifteen? Whatever that number may be, chalk up another one as a rare brilliant start by Mike Pelfrey was laid to waste by an anemic offensive performance in the Mets 2-0 loss to the Nationals.
The Mets are reeling right now. They can’t seem to put it all together. The defense has fallen off a cliff since the calendar turned to September. In fact, David Wright committed his seventh error in nine games and 17th of the season. That error by Wright led to the two unearned National runs that won them the game.
Pelfrey (7-12) pitched a heck of a game, allowing just six hits and two walks while fanning six through seven innings.
The Mets had a few opportunities to score some runs, with their best opportunity coming in the ninth when Nationals closer Drew Storen walked the first two batters of the inning. Unfortunately, Terry Collins made a terrible decision to let Justin Turner bunt and he proceeded to pop it up to the pitcher for the first out of the inning. Jason Pridie would follow with a groundout, and Jose Reyes hit a liner for the last out of the game.
What is the deal with all these ill-timed, poorly executed bunts lately?
Justin Turner’s pinch-hit double in the seventh was the Mets’ only extra-base hit of the game.
The Mets were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base tonight. They have stranded 40 runners over their last four games.
The loss was the Mets fifth straight and the seventh in their last eight games. By now you’ve heard that the Mets have been mathematically eliminated.
“Obviously, it’s disappointing each year that you don’t go to the playoffs, no matter what the circumstances are,” Wright said. “And this is another one of those years.”
The Mets must now avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Nationals. Another loss tomorrow will drop the Mets to fourth place behind the Nats. Rookie Chris Schwinden will get his second start of the season and goes up against Tom Milone at 1:10 PM.
Lets Go Mets!
