Mets Game 58: Mets Lose to Marlins Again

The Mets still can’t figure out the Miami Marlins. They blew a 4-1 lead, and lost to the Fish by a score of 8-4. (Box Score) At least it only took 10 innings this time.

The Marlins have won 18 games this year. 8 of them have been against the Mets.

In the bottom of the tenth, Bobby Parnell (in his second inning of work) gave up back-to-back singles to start the inning. Adeiny Hechavarria failed to get a sac bunt down, then took a fastball that could have easily been called strike three. Third-year ump Dan Bellino called it a ball. The overhead cam showed that it barely missed the outside edge. On the next pitch, Hechavarria rolled a slow grounder to Daniel Murphy‘s left. In his haste to get the ball to second, he allowed the ball to skim off his glove and roll into right field. Morrison scored to give the Marlins a 5-4 lead.

Rob Carson came in and let both inherited runners score, in addition to allowing a 2-run homer to Miguel Olivo.

After missing his previous start with shoulder tendinitis, Jon Niese came out firing, striking out the side in the first with a dazzling combination of cutters and curves. But in the second, he allowed two singles and a walk to lead to the Marlins’ first run of the day. Hechavarria, the man who finished the scoring of the 20-inning game, starting the scoring today with an RBI single.

Daniel Murphy, inserted into the cleanup slot by Terry Collins, responded with a solo home run in the bottom of the second to even the game at 1.

In the bottom of the third, the Mets loaded the bases with none out. Juan Lagares led off with an infield single, Niese worked out a walk, and Omar Quintanilla reached on a bunt single. After Jordany Valdespin popped out, David Wright doubled over the head of Justin Ruggiano to plate Lagares and Niese (who initially went back to tag second base, but then recovered well enough to score) to give the Mets a lead. Murphy followed with an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 4-1.

In the top of the sixth, the Marlins made it a 4-3 game on a 2-run opposite field double by Pablo Ozuna. Ozuna went to third when Lagares had trouble picking up the carom off the right-center field wall, but he was stranded there.

Then in the eighth, Derek Dietrich lasered a solo home run into the stands next to the Moe’s Zone off Scott Rice, who was making approximately his 153rd appearance of the year. That tied the game at 4.

I’m sure the Mets would love to have a second lefty they can use in the bullpen. But Rob Carson and Josh Edgin have both been terrible, and the team seems reluctant to rush Jack Leathersich up from Double-A.

Brandon Lyon came in and allowed 3 hits without giving up a run (one of the hits was a grounder by Hechavarria that hit baserunner Logan Morrison. Morrison was out, but Hechavarria got credit for a single).

New Rochelle native Tom Koehler started for the Marlins, and went 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits with a walk and 2 strikeouts. The Stony Brook University alum retired 15 of his last 16 batters after a rough beginning.

Chad Qualls got the win in relief (1-0), and Parnell got the loss (4-3).

The Mets’ record drops to 23-35, 8 of those losses coming at the hands of the worst team in baseball.

Questionable Baseball

Jordany Valdespin executed a perfect drag bunt with one out in the first. After moving to second on David Wright’s groundout, he attempted to steal third with two out. He was thrown out with ease by Marlins catcher Jeff Mathis. This is why Valdespin is so frustrating. He has the talent to be an asset to a major league club, but at times it’s impossible to know what he’s thinking on the baseball field.

In the ninth, Collins asked Mike Baxter to bunt with Murphy on first and none out. Even when the count got to 1-2, Collins still left the bunt on. Baxter fouled it off for strike three. Now, I’m not one of those who thinks a bunt is never appropriate, but Baxter can handle the bat pretty well, and with 2 strikes, I’d rather see him swing away. Should he have been bunting at all? Against a LHP, I can see why Collins did it, especially since Baxter (along with almost every other player on this team) doesn’t have a lot of extra-base power. But people who disagree with bunting in that situation have more than a valid point.

Matt Harvey Update

Harvey left yesterday’s game with discomfort in his lower back. Harvey said a chiropractic maneuver straightened it out. “Everything is fine,” Harvey said. “I woke up today. Felt good. They told me my start date is Thursday. So I’m ready to go.”

Up Next

After a much-needed day off, the Mets begin a series with the Cardinals at Citi Field on Tuesday. Young Michael Wacha (0-0, 5.40 ERA) makes his third MLB start against Jeremy Hefner (1-5, 4.36 ERA).