Mets Game 124: Loss to Brewers

Brewers 6 Mets 1

This was a difficult game to watch, particularly after waiting through almost three hours of a rain delay. There was a point — after four innings — when I thought the Mets had a chance, but after the fifth, it seemed like everyone was just waiting for the game to end.

Mets Game Notes

In the first few frames, Mike Pelfrey was getting a number of called third strikes, and getting low strikes called in general — much to the chagrin of the Brewers batters. Cory Hart had two strikes called on him in the second inning — the second was strike three and the muttering under his breath nearly got him tossed from the ballgame. Then in the top of the third Ryan Braun disagreed profusely with a low strike three and was ejected.

Unfortunately, Big Pelf couldn’t take full advantage of the extended strike zone — he walked 4 and allowed 8 hits and 4 runs (3 earned) in 5 innings. Twelve baserunners in five frames is far too many; it’s a minor miracle only four runs crossed the plate.

D.J. Carrasco wasn’t much better in relief, giving up two more runs in his two innings of relief.

Tim Byrdak found a way to infuriate Prince Fielder, to the point where Fielder ran up to him after grounding out to end the 8th. Words were exchanged, no one is sure exactly what was said nor what provoked the altercation. It ended quickly, as Josh Thole gave Fielder a gentle push. You know what? Right there, I would have liked to have seen Thole “crown” Prince with a left hook. It would have been inappropriate and probably unnecessary, but I still would have liked to have seen it. Imagine: what would A.J. Pierzynski have done in that situation?

Speaking of Fielder, he and Casey McGehee were a combined 5-for-7 with 3 walks and 4 RBI on the evening.

The Mets managed only 6 hits vs. starter Shaun Marcum and 7 hits total against Milwaukee pitching — 5 from Angel Pagan and Ruben Tejada. But it was Josh Thole’s hit that drove in the Mets’ lone run.

With this loss, the Mets became the first MLB team in history to lose their first 10 straight home openers in a season. That’s right: the Mets have lost the first game of every single homestand this year. The 1913 Reds and 1987 White Sox each lost the opener of their first nine homestands.

Next Mets Game

The Mets and Brewers do it again at 4:10 PM on Saturday afternoon. That’s right, folks, it’s a FOX telecast — yee ha! It will be a matchup of savvy lefties as Chris Capuano faces Randy Wolf.