Putting a slim lead in the hands of the Mets bullpen is a risky game these days. It was no different Friday night when David Robertson gave up a three-run homer to a rookie catcher from the San Francisco Giants, dooming the Mets to a 5-4 loss in the first game of a three-game series at Citi Field.
Up 4-2, the team went to David Robertson, their most trusted high-leverage reliever to start the eighth inning. After getting the first out, Joc Pederson reached on an error when Alonso couldn’t make a flip to Robertson at first base. He then walked J.D. Davis to put two on.
Then came Patrick Bailey, a 24-year-old playing in just his 33rd big league game. Robertson (2-2), a 38-year-old veteran who has pitched more like a 24-year-old this season, threw him a cutter for a strike, a knuckle curve outside and then another one right over the plate. Bailey did what a hitter at any level would do with a mistake pitch and drove it out of the park to put the Giants (46-36) back on top.
The Mets (36-46) are now a season-worst 10 games below .500. When Pete Alonso smashed his bat over his knee after making an out to end the fifth inning, it said all you need to know about the Mets right now.
Tommy Pham went 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored, Jeff McNeil went 2-for-4 with two RBI doubles and Francisco Lindor also went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Carlos Carrasco lasted only five innings. He was effective, limiting San Francisco to only two earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six, but three of those hits and one of those walks came in a busy second inning that drove up his pitch count. Only one run crossed and Carrasco got out of a bases-loaded jam to prevent further damage by getting former Mets utility man Wilmer Flores to ground into a force out.
Flores, however, homered in the fifth inning to tie the game at 2-2. His homer run came just after Brandon Nimmo made a fantastic jumping grab at the wall to rob Lamonte Wade Jr. of extra bases.
But the Mets helped out Carrasco in the bottom of the inning. McNeil, who doubled home Francisco Lindor in the first inning, scored Brandon Nimmo on a double to left field off right-hander Alex Cobb. A San Francisco fan along the rail grabbed for it, deflecting it into the stands. The umpires ruled it fan interference Giants manager Gabe Kapler challenged the call but it was upheld and the go-ahead run was deemed safe.
With the Mets up 3-2 in the sixth and Cobb out of the game, Pham homered off Taylor Rogers to give the Mets an insurance run.
Cobb had a similar line to Carrasco, allowing three earned on six hits, walking two and striking out three.The Mets went 7-19 in the month of June. One month won’t define an entire season, but it’s possible the Mets miss playoffs because of the hole they dug themselves this past month.
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