Tensions Run High as Benches Clear in Mets’ 10-5 Loss to Cards

After securing their franchise-record sixth consecutive series win to start the season on Tuesday night, the Mets took on the Cardinals Wednesday afternoon looking for their first series sweep. Carlos Carrasco took the mound for the Mets coming off his best start as a Met against the Giants. Carrasco struggled, and the frustration of another Met hit by a pitch eventually led to a bench-clearing incident in the 10-5 loss.

The first inning looked like it would be smooth sailing for Carrasco after he retired Tommy Edman and Paul Goldschmidt to start the inning, but a barrage of two-strike hits from the Cardinals led to the games first run. Tyler O’Neill reached first on a ball just under Francisco Lindor‘s glove that was scored an error but will most likely be changed at some point. Nolan Arenado and Corey Dickerson followed with back-to-back singles to put St. Louis ahead.

The Mets wasted no time getting the run back. Facing Steven Matz, Pete Alonso and Eduardo Escobar started the top of the second inning with singles to put two runners on. Matz was on the verge of getting out of the inning unscathed after he retired Mark Canha and J.D. Davis, but the Mets put together a two-out rally of their own. Luis Guillorme reached on an infield single to load the bases on a ball that likely would have been the third out if Matz didn’t deflect it. Tomas Nido and Brandon Nimmo followed with back-to-back two run doubles to give the Mets a 4-1 lead.

In the third inning, it was the Cardinals who responded. Edman and Goldschmidt both singled to start the inning. After O’Neill grounded out, Arenado singled to right field to drive in two runs and cut the Mets lead to one run. Carrasco retired Dickerson and walked Dylan Carlson to bring up Met killer Paul DeJong with two outs and two runners on base, but he retired him on a pop up to Alonso to escape the inning with the lead.

After another scoreless inning from Matz in the top of the fourth, the Cardinals’ offense exploded in the bottom half of the inning. Yadier Molina led off the fourth inning with a double, the first extra-base hit of the series for the Cardinals. Carrasco then hit Edmundo Sosa before Edman hit the second double of the inning for the Cardinals to tie the game. He retired Goldschmidt on a line out into the shift and struck out O’Neill to nearly escape the inning. After intentionally walking Arenado, it looked like Carrasco could get through the inning still tied, but his slider in the dirt to get ahead of Dickerson 0-2 got through Nido’s legs to bring home the go-ahead run. Dickerson drove in another run on a swinging bunt infield single to put an end to Carrasco’s day. Sean Reid-Foley came in and allowed a two-run triple to Carlson to extend the lead to 8-4.

The Mets aggressive base running has been a strength of theirs throughout their hot start to the season, but it burned them in the sixth inning against the best defensive team in baseball. Canha pulled a single inside the third-base line to kick off the inning, but the two-time Gold Glove winner O’Neill cut the ball off and threw a strike to second to cut down Canha going for a double. Two batters later, Guillorme hit a ball to the wall in centerfield over Carlson, who usually plays right field on days that Gold Glove center fielder Harrison Bader plays. Carlson unleashed a Rick Ankiel-like throw to third on the fly to nail Guillorme for the third out of the inning.

After Reid-Foley retired the Cardinals in order in the fifth inning, he went back out for the sixth. O’Neill walked and stole second before Arenado drove him in on a ground-rule double for his third hit and third RBI of the game to extend the lead to 9-4. Lindor hit an RBI double in the top of the seventh inning, but Goldschmidt answered with an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to regain the five-run lead.

The hit-by-pitch epidemic continued for the Mets when Davis was hit in the ankle in the top of the eighth inning and had to be removed from the game in clear pain. It was the 19th time this season that a Met was hit by a pitch in just their 20th game.

In the bottom half of the eighth, Arenado led off the inning against Yoan López making his Mets debut. With a five-run deficit and the Cardinals’ best hitter coming up, Lopez’s first pitch was up and in on Arenado which led to both benches and bullpens emptying. Starling Marte had alluded to a situation like this after three Mets were hit on Tuesday, and Davis being hit finally pushed the Mets to respond. Once cooler heads prevailed, the Mets went down in order in the ninth to close out the game and the series.

Players of the Game: Tomás Nido

While Wednesday’s game did not have much positive to take away, Nido had a strong day at the plate. Nido has never been much of an offensive force, but he came through with a clutch two-out extra-base hit to give the Mets the lead early in the game and added a well-struck single in the seventh inning. Both hits were on the first pitch of the at-bats. With Nido and James McCann both seeing regular playing time to start the year, Nido could find himself getting more playing time if he can continue to cash in on his opportunities at the plate.

On Deck

After an off-day on Thursday, the Mets will begin a three-game series with the Phillies at Citi Field on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Tylor Megill will take the mound for the Mets, and the game will be televised on SNY.