Diamondbacks 5, Mets 1 - Errors cost Mets series victory
· Yahoo Sports
The New York Mets came into their season finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks with the hopes of winning their third straight series, but errors and a struggling lineup led to a 5-1 loss Sunday in Arizona. The Mets were no-hit through five 1/3 innings by left-handed Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez while registering a season-high three errors.
Visit playerbros.org for more information.
Rodriguez stymied New York’s lineup for the second time this season, giving up one run across eight 1/3 innings pitched, an even better outing than he had at Citi Field on April 9 when he allowed one run over six innings. Rodriguez came out for the ninth inning but was pulled after giving up a bloop single to Mark Vientos. The Mets were unable to rally after the Vientos single against reliever Juan Morillo.
New York managed just four hits while Andy Ibanez committed two errors after getting the start at third base, with both errors being on throws to first. His first errant throw came in the fourth inning with two outs on a play that should have helped Mets pitcher David Peterson escape the inning. Peterson was still able to get out of the fourth without giving up a run after Ryan Waldschmidt hit into a fielder’s choice.
Ibanez’s second error came in the sixth inning, where the Diamondbacks put the game on ice. Illdemaro Vargas reached on the error, then three straight two-out hits by Jorge Barrosa, Waldschmidt, and Ketel Marte added three runs and put Arizona up 5-1. Peterson had a throwing error of his own in the fifth inning to contribute to a sloppy day for New York.
Whether the defense was firing on all cylinders or not, the lineup couldn’t get any traction against Rodriguez, who perhaps wishes he could pitch against the Mets every time out. Bo Bichette came into the game with a .400 average and two home runs in 17 plate appearances against Rodriguez, but went 0 for 3 with a walk. Juan Soto had the same stat line as Bichette as six Mets starters went hitless.
With the offense no-showing once again for the last-place Mets, the game was essentially lost in the second inning when Arizona scored two runs. Huascar Brazobán got the start out of the bullpen and immediately struggled with command in his brief appearance. He gave up a leadoff walk to Marte, which was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Corbin Carroll. A groundout from Geraldo Perdomo and a pop-out from Adrian Del Castillo help Brazobán escape. Back out for the second, he walked Vargas and Nolan Arenado before being replaced by Tobias Myers. With two runners on and nobody out, Myers immediately gave up a two-run double to Waldschmidt. Myers was able to limit any further damage in the second inning, but the Mets’ lineup was in a hole they never escaped from.
Peterson replaced Myers in the third inning, pitching five innings with zero earned runs thanks to the Ibanez errors. This is the fourth game the Mets have elected to bring Peterson in mid-game rather than start, and all four times seemed to have helped Peterson’s consistency. He’s given up three earned runs across 16 innings pitched in those situations.
Unable to get anything going against Rodriguez, Carson Benge finally broke through with a soft single to left field in the sixth inning. Luis Torrens followed it up with a double to the right corner that scored the speedy Benge. Soto flied out to advance Torrens before Bichette drew a walk. Austin Slater hit a groundout to first base to end the inning and strand Torrens. Semien drew a walk in the seventh inning and Torrens singled in the eighth, but New York couldn’t get either runner home.
The Mets are off Monday, before beginning a six-game homestand against the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees.
SB Nation GameThreads
Box scores
Win Probability Added
WPA to follow