Mets Game 85: Loss To Braves

Braves 3 Mets 1

Mets swept by Braves and are oh-for-July. At least it wasn’t another one-run loss(?).

Mets Game Notes

Jacob deGrom very nearly worked out of a very difficult initial inning, and in fact, seemed to have ended the frame unscathed on a two-out, two-strike curveball to Chris Johnson that just missed the outside corner. Moments later, Johnson ripped a hot shot down the third base line that skipped past Eric Campbell and cleared the loaded bases. Might David Wright have stopped that ball? Maybe? Maybe not. It’s why they call it the “hot corner,” and it would’ve taken excellent reactions to glove that scorcher. It’s a game of inches, as evidenced by the near-strike-three and that batted ball.

What needs to be pointed out, however, is not how those inches went the wrong way, but how the inning started. As deGrom began delivering his first pitch of the game, Ruben Tejada had his back to home plate, seemingly looking at or talking to Eric Young, Jr. in left field. By the time Tejada turned around, the pitch was on its way to the plate and hit by B.J. Upton. Of course, Upton grounded the ball in Tejada’s direction — what are the chances? Out of position and not properly set, the grounder barely eluded Tejada’s backhand stab. Would he have fielded the ball cleanly had he been set? I sure think so. The inning fell apart from there, and you have to wonder what might have transpired had deGrom began the inning with an out. #littlethings

Other than that rough first frame, deGrom pitched well. Can’t really blame him for the loss, but unfortunately, he gets another “L” added to his record.

Eric Young, Jr. and Juan Lagares combined to go 4-for-8 at the top of the lineup, setting the table for the big bats down the order. Unfortunately, only one other Met collected a hit. Difficult to win with that kind of offensive showing.

Brilliant, web-gem-worthy, clutch play by Tommy La Stella to get a fielder’s choice and the second out of the 8th inning on a bounding ball that could have leaked into the outfield and created a one-out, first-and-third situation. Instead, it was almost an inning-ending double play. La Stella dove to stop the grounder just behind the second base bag, then flipped it directly out of his glove without an exchange to Andrelton Simmons to retire the lead runner. #jerseystrong

What else to say? I got nuthin’.

Next Mets Game

Mets get a day off on Thursday, then head home to host the Texas Rangers in a weekend series. Game one begins Friday night at 7:10 PM, and features Jonathon Niese vs. Nick Tepesch (no relation to Vlad).