Astros 9 Mets 6 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)
Mets record: 40-40
Mets streak: Lost 1
WP - Seth Martinez (3-2)
LP - Reed Garrett (7-3)
SV - Josh Hader (12)
Seat on the Korner:
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Alex Bregman capped off an ugly 8th inning by the Mets bullpen with a two run single to put the Astros in the lead for good in a game where the Mets once held a five run lead.
Need to Know
Jose Iglesias led the charge with three hits and a RBI, with Mark Vientos, Fransicsco Lindor, and Pete Alonso all contributing two hits each.
The Mets hit another quality starting pitcher, as they tagged Framber Valdez to the tune of six runs on ten hits in 4 znd 2/3's innings. Valdez also walked three hitters.
The Astros bullpen was the difference for the good today. Tayler Scott, Seth Martinez, Ryan Pressly, and Josh Hader combined to pitch 4 and 1/3 innings while giving up only one hit and striking out five hitters.
Turning Point
How about the entire 8th inning? With a 6-4 lead, Jake Diekman put up the following: Walk, wild pitch, walk, and then got two outs. Then, Carlos Mendoza chose the Reed Garrett vs Trey Cabbage matchup instead of a Diekman vs Cooper Hummel matchup. Garrett then gave us: walk, wild pitch, walk, and then with an 0-2 count on Bregman, Garrett threw three uncompetitive pitches to run the count full before Bregman burned him.
Three Keys
Suspended Animation
This was the first game of Edwin Diaz's suspension that his loss really hurt the Mets. There were two natural points in which he could have entered the game. The eighth inning to replace Diekman, or if Carlos Mendoza wanted to hold him for the 9th to start that inning to keep the score at 7-6. Diaz would have definitely made a difference today.
Was This The Last of Tylor Megill For Now?
This was a big outing for Tylor to prove he couls stay in the rotation, but also to give relief to an overworked bullpen. For the first three innings, he was okay.
But he had a rough 4th which saw him gave up three runs.
Megill wound up his day with four runs on five hits and three walks and six strikeouts in 5 and 1/3 innings (Mendoza tried to get him through the 6th, but after walks to Jon Singleton, Mendoza pulled him after 101 pitches.) Will it be enough to save his rotation spot when Christian Scott returns this coming week? Well, the Mets had to be hoping for more from him, and while the bullpen gill get the daggers for today's loss, Megill giving up three in the 4th didn't help matters.
The Decision
Certainly worth wondering if Mendoza outmanaged himself today, pulling Diekman after getting two outs with Joe Espada bringing up Cooper Hummel, who was 0-for-8 on the season and is a career .159 hitter. Instead, he sent Garrett to face Trey Cabbage, who is hitting .273 this season. Perhaps it wouldn't have mattered as Cabbage didn't have to take the bat off his shoulders anyway. But Diekman seemed to have found himself after a shaky start, so having him throw to a .159 hitter could have yielded a better outcome.