What Happened, In a Sentence
The Brewers hit too many homers against a depleted Mets pitching staff, winning 7-4.
Mets’ Misery Continues at Plate
Early on, it looked like Wily Peralta would be the ideal cure for the Mets’ struggling offense. Peralta is already 2.1 wins below replacement and allowing a .365 opponents’ batting average. Asdrubal Cabrera got a belt high fastball on an 0-2 count and drove it for an opposite field home run. Ryan Braun looked a bit surprised by how much the ball carried. By the end of the game, no one would be surprised by baseballs flying out of Milwaukee on a hot day. The Mets just couldn’t get enough homers. Curtis Granderson tripled off the yellow paint at the top of the fence to lead off the third. He was almost doubled off when Michael Conforto lined out to third baseman Aaron Hill, but replays showed Granderson got back to the bag in time. Yoenis Cespedes took his unintentional walk. Neil Walker tried calling for time on a 2-0 count but couldn’t get it. He stepped back in the box and tapped in to a weak double play, jogging down the line. At first it wasn’t clear if Walker was injured or frustrated over his team’s season-long struggles in clutch situations.
We got an answer the next inning as Walker threw his glove in to the bench the next inning and stormed into the dugout. His back tightened up on the swing and run to first, so he left the game. Meanwhile, Mets hitters drove three balls right to Brewers fielders in the fourth. Granderson got his home run in the fifth inning, leaving him just a double short of the cycle. But the Mets couldn’t get another hit until the ninth inning.
Kelly Johnson and Cabrera both singled off of Brewers’ mop up man Jacob Barnes and closer Jeremy Jeffress came in now that the game had a save situation. Wilmer Flores got a sacrifice fly but then Rene Rivera grounded out to end it.
Logan Verrett Struggles With Command
Because the Mets haven’t had an off day since their doubleheader on Tuesday, they needed Logan Verrett to make a spot start. Verrett filled in admirably for Jacob deGrom in April but was terrible in his last spot start at Colorado. In the second inning, Verrett started reminding people why he isn’t a regular in a rotation. He tried jamming Chris Carter but left the ball over the plate for a towering home run. Former Met Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled down the line and stole second on the next pitch, eventually scoring on a double play. Verrett tried to jam Ryan Braun in the third inning but left a fastball over the plate for another massive home run. The Mets starter settled down in the fourth inning, but gave another two-out walk to light-hitting catcher Martin Maldonado. Peralta made the Mets pay, hammering a 429-foot homer to the upper deck in right.
Who’s Left to Pitch?
Before the game Terry Collins said both Jim Henderson and Jeurys Familia would be unavailable. Logan Verrett needed 87 pitches to get through four ineffective innings. The Mets were so short-handed that Jacob deGrom was throwing in the bullpen. Collins let Verrett hit for himself in the top of the fifth but turned to Hansel Robles to pitch in the bottom half of the inning. Robles cruised through the fifth and worked around two walks in the sixth. Antonio Bastardo came in but surrendered back-to-back home runs to Scooter Gennett and Braun. The Mets tied their season high, allowing five home runs. Collins sent Bastardo back out for the eighth to take one for the team, but he got through that inning without difficulty.
What’s Next?
The Mets end their road trip with a day game and Steven Matz on the mound.
Photo credit: Benny Sieu – USA Today Sports