The Mets continued their West Coast swing and opened a three game series against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. It was their first visit to Seattle since 2005 when they were swept by the Mariners 3-0. The Mets last played the Mariners in 2008 and lost two of three at Shea Stadium.
Jon Niese came into the game looking for his sixth win on the season, and faced off against Mariners south paw Roenis Elias.
But neither the Mets nor Niese would earn a victory on Monday as the Mariners continued their dominance winning the opener 5-2 and improving their record against the Mets to 8-2.
After a leadoff line drive single to left by Willie Bloomquist, Niese struck out two batters including Robinson Cano. Bloomquist stole second on the strike out and Kyle Seager singled to center field scoring Bloomquist with the Mariners’ first run. After the first inning, the Mets trailed 1-0.
Niese settled down to retire the Mariners in order in the second inning.
A lead off homer by Mike Zunico in the third put the Mariners up 2-1. Bloomquist and James Jones both singled, and after a Cano ground-out moved both runners to second and third, Seager hit his second single of the game scoring Bloomquist from third to add to the Mariners lead at 3-1. Niese was able to induce an inning ending double play to end the threat.
In the fourth inning, Corey Hart walked, then moved to second base on a Dustin Ackley single to center field. After Niese struck out Zunico for the second out, Bloomquist hit a ground-rule double over Juan Lagares‘ head to score Hart and add to the Mariners lead at 4-1. Niese was able to retire Jones on an inning ending ground-out.
A leaping snag by Ruben Tejada saved a run in the fifth with runners on first and third to end the inning and keep the score at 4-1.
Niese, who came off the disabled list after spending 16 days on the shelf nursing an inflammation of the A/C joint of his left shoulder, tossed six innings, allowing 11 hits, four earned runs, two walks and struck out six.
Josh Edgin started the seventh inning and after recording an out, he gave up a double to Cano. Daisuke Matsuzaka then replaced Edgin with two outs and quickly induced a pop out to end the inning.
Dice-K could not keep the Mariners off the board for too long as he gave up back to back doubles in the eighth inning extending their lead to 5-1.
Offensively, Tejada led off the third with a walk, then moved to second on a wild pitch by Elias. Curtis Granderson then followed with a long drive to the right field wall, just missing a two run home run for the out which moved Tejada to third. Daniel Murphy then struck out and David Wright, who struck out in his first at bat, blooped a single to right field, scoring Tejada from third to tie the game at 1-1. Elias balked, moving Wright to second, but Eric Campbell popped out to end the inning.
The Mets stranded two more in the fourth inning after Travis d’Arnaud‘s one out single and Chris Young‘s walk. Juan Lagares then struck out, and Tejada popped out to end the threat.
In the sixth inning d’Arnaud drove a ball to left field that looked to be out, if not for Ackley’s tremendous leaping catch, robbing d’Arnaud of a sure home run.
The Mets rallied in the ninth, scoring a their second run of the game on an error by Cano. But any threat the Mets may have had was quickly defused as the Mariners shut the door on the Mets en route to a 5-2 victory.
Game Notes:
The last time that Jon Niese allowed more than three runs in a game, was September 7, 2013 against the Cleveland Indians, spanning 21 straight games.
On David Wright‘s 10th Year Anniversary, he finished the game 2 for 4, RBI (50).
What’s Next:
The Mets (46-53) will play game two of their three game series against the Mariners (53-46) at Safeco Field on Tuesday. Jacob deGrom (3-5, 3.18) will face Mariners starter Erasmo Ramirez (1-4, 4.58) with the first pitch scheduled for 10:10 PM.
