TORONTO — The Mets’ surge over the last two weeks has been predicated upon one solid starting pitching performance after another, but David Peterson dropped the baton Tuesday night.
Maybe Peterson was just due, after a stretch of excellence since late July reflected by the Mets winning six straight games he started.
On this night, the left-hander got roughed up early and his teammates’ bats were quiet in a 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
The Mets lost for the second time in three games and fell into a tie with Atlanta in the race for the National League’s third wild card.
Peterson, in his shortest start since July 6, lasted only 4 ¹/₃ innings and allowed five runs, four of which were earned, on eight hits with two strikeouts.
Peterson hadn’t surrendered more than three earned runs in a start since losing to the Braves on July 28.
Peterson still leads the rotation with a 2.98 ERA, but another pitcher performing at a high level, Sean Manaea, is set to receive the start in Wednesday’s series finale and rubber game.
Luis Severino and Jose Quintana are behind Manaea and Tylor Megill has been respectable for the club in his three starts subbing for Paul Blackburn.
The Mets managed only three hits in their 3-2 victory on Monday and though they doubled that total a night later struggled to deliver when it mattered, finishing 1-for-8 with runners in position.
Brandon Nimmo, moved to the No. 5 spot in the batting order, stroked an RBI single in the first that gave the Mets a 1-0 lead.
Francisco Lindor and Jesse Winker singled in succession to begin the game against Chris Bassitt before Nimmo delivered with two outs for his 75th RBI of the season.
Mark Vientos’ fielding error on Ernie Clement’s grounder leading off the bottom of the second led to the Blue Jays scoring an unearned run.
Peterson was charged for two wild pitches in the inning and Leo Jimenez’s RBI single tied it 1-1.
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Peterson faced nine batters in a third inning in which the Blue Jays scored four runs to place the Mets in a 5-1 hole.
Daulton Varsho bunted for a single leading off and Peterson’s glove flip of the ball to first base was wild, allowing Varsho to reach second. Alejandro Kirk’s ensuing RBI double gave the Blue Jays the lead.
Davis Schneider delivered the inning’s big hit, a two-run triple, after Clement’s single put runners on the corners.
Peterson plunked Leo Jimenez and Joey Loperfido’s RBI single widened the Mets’ deficit to four runs.
Jose Iglesias’ pinch-hit double leading off the seventh led to the Mets’ second run.
Brendon Little’s wild pitch moved Iglesias to third before Tyrone Taylor walked.
Alejandro Kirk’s passed ball allowed Iglesias to score.
Taylor was left in scoring position at third base as Pete Alonso struck out looking.
Alonso entered the night with an anemic .185/.313/.333 slash line in September with only one homer.
Clement tripled against Huascar Brazoban in the seventh and Spencer Horwitz’s double against Alex Young extended the Blue Jays’ lead to 6-2.