The Mets continue to set records that nobody wants as they left 14 runners on base, a season high, and allowed four more unearned runs in tonight’s loss, 4-3 to the Cubs.
After allowing a leadoff single to Pete Crow-Armstrong in the first inning, Freddy Peralta retired the next ten hitters and seemed on track to keep his pitch count lower in the early innings. The Mets’ offense struggled more. After Juan Soto walked in the first, Francisco Alvarez walked in the second, and Carson Benge and Soto walked again in the third, they were stranded every time. Bo Bichette was also stranded in the third inning after tapping a single past Nico Hoerner. In the fourth inning, Michael Busch smacked a single that got away from Mark Vientos, who had to crawl after it to recover. A wild pitch moved Busch to second base, but Peralta was able to come back to strand him there as well. Ronny Mauricio was also stranded on a double that he into right field. Juan Soto also tapped a single into left field at the bottom of the fifth inning and then went nowhere.
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At the top of the sixth inning, the Mets defense struck again as Dansby Swanson reached first base on a throwing error from Mauricio to Vientos. Michael Conforto drove an RBI single into right field, and Alex Bregman started with a double that bounced off the wall in right field, but it went through Benge’s legs, and Bregman reached third on the error that also allowed Conforto to score. Ian Happ followed up with another RBI single, bringing the total to three unearned runs, and Hoerner worked a walk before Austin Warren came in to replace Peralta. Warren struck out Pedro Ramírez for the final out.
A. J. Ewing walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, and after two outs, Eric Wagaman came in to pinch-hit for Melendez when the Cubs brought in left-handed reliever Hoby Milner. Wagaman, always here to surprise, drilled a two-run home run into left field. Baty was inspired, and hit a single, also into left field. Benge lined a single into center field to move Baty to third. The Cubs brought in Phil Maton next, who hit Bichette and loaded the bases for Soto. Soto grounded out, the first time he did not reach base in this outing, and the second time the Mets left the bases loaded. The inning ended with the score Cubs 3, Mets 2.
Mets’ pinch-hitting continued to come through in the bottom of the seventh, as Jared Young, hitting for Vientos, hit a home run into center field to tie the game. Ewing singled and stole second, but was once again stranded in scoring position. Luke Weaver came out for the top of the eighth and struck out the side. Devin Williams kept the game tied in the top of the ninth. Then, Jared Young walked, and Francisco Alvarez reached on an error by Swanson. Unfortunately, Ewing flied out for the second out to bring up Ronny Mauricio, who grounded out on the first pitch he saw to send the game to extra innings for the 13th time this year.
Miguel Amaya was the Cubs’ extra runner at the top of the tenth inning, and Brooks Raley was the Mets’ pitcher. Crow Armstrong ripped a double that bounced down to the right corner and drove in Amaya. Raley minimized the damage to just one run, and it was the Mets’ turn to try. Mauricio started the inning at second base, but even with the extra help, the Mets hitters could not get anywhere. The game ended there; the Mets endured their sixth loss as the Cubs swept the season series.
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The Mets see the Phillies at home starting tomorrow at 7:10 PM ET. Zach Thornton is likely to face off against Zack Wheeler.
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What’s WPA?
Big Mets winner: Jared Young, +29% WPA
Big Mets loser: Carson Benge/Ronny Mauricio, tied at -18% WPA
Mets pitchers: +14% WPA
Mets hitters: -64% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Jared Young’s home run, +23.7% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Pete Crow-Armstrong’s RBI double in the 10th, -29.0% WPA
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