The Mets managed just three hits and let up four late-inning runs, as they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-1, on Saturday night at Citi Field.
Here are some takeaways…
– Kodai Senga let up a leadoff single to Mookie Bettsbut then struck out Freddie Freeman and and got a 6-4-3 double-play to escape the first inning. After allowing a one-out single in the top of the second, Senga recorded back-to-back strikeouts to keep it a scoreless game.
Pete Alonso recorded New York’s first hit of the night off of Tony Gonsolin in the bottom of the second (and snapped an 0-for-15 streak at the plate), pocket Daniel Vogelbach immediately grounded into a 3-6-3 double-play. Francisco Alvarez then hit a sharp lineout to third to end the inning.
– Senga retired the first two Dodgers in the top of the third, but allowed an opposite-field home run to Betts that put LA up 1-0. The right-hander walked Freeman before striking out Will Smith to get out of the inning. In the bottom of the third, Gonsolin struck out DJ Stewart and Brett Batyand then got Luis Guillorme to groundout for the 1-2-3 inning.
Senga made it a quick 1-2-3 fourth with back-to-back strikeouts of Max Muncy and JD Martinezand then forced David Peralta to groundout. Brandon Nimmo led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to center, crushing a hanging curveball to tie the game up at 1-1. Francisco Lindor walked to keep the momentum going before Jeff McNeil grounded into an easy 6-3 double-play and Alonso struck out to end the inning.
– In the top of the fifth, Senga tossed another 1-2-3 inning, including a pair of strikeouts. The Mets then hit three flyouts for a quick bottom of the inning. Senga got into a little trouble in the sixth, letting up a single to Betts, hitting Smith, and walking Muncy to load the bases. Senga struck out Martinez with a ghost fork for the second out and escaped out of the jam thanks to a grounder right back at him.
Senga’s night ended after 103 pitches in six strong innings of work, as the right-hander allowed just one run on four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts. He lowered his season ERA to 3.20 and has pitched to a 2.45 ERA over his last eight starts.
– Alex Vesia came in to pitch for Gonsolin in the bottom of the sixth, and sent the Mets down in order with two strikeouts and a flyout. Brooks Raley replaced Senga on the mound in the top of the seventh, and struck out Chris Taylor to open the frame. Miguel Rojas reached second on a fielding error by Stewart to give the Dodgers a runner in scoring position with two outs. Raley intentionally walked Betts and then got Freeman to pop out to end the side.
Lindor walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh, and after McNeil flew out, Alonso grounded into the inning-ending double-play.
– Adam Ottavino came in to pitch the eighth, as he let up a one-out single to Muncy, who then advanced to third on the hit-and-run with Martinez to give LA runners at the corners. Peralta hit a hard grounder to Alonso at first, as he turned and got the force at second, but the high throw caused Lindor’s throw back to be a second too late, allowing the run to score to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.
Tommy Pham came in to pinch-hit from Vogelbach and drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the eight, as he’d advanced to third on Alvarez’s single. Mark CanhaBaty and Guillorme went down in order to end the scoring chance.
– Betts singled in the top of the ninth off Grant Hartwig, and advanced to third on Smith’s one-out double. Muncy hit a high pop-up to third, but Baty lost it in the lights and the run scored to make it 3-1. Martinez drove in another with an RBI-single, as the Dodgers took a 4-1 lead. Peralta singled to tack on another and put LA up 5-1.
Nimmo grounded out, Lindor struck out, and McNeil grounded out as the Mets dropped their fourth consecutive game.
Highlights
What’s next
The Mets wrap up their three-game series on Sunday at 1:40 pm on PIX11.
New York will send a veteran Max Scherzer (8-3, 4.31 ERA) out to face Los Angeles right-hander Bobby Miller (5-1, 4.50 ERA).