As has been the theme all season, it was the Mets’ bats’ turn to betray a solid pitching performance.
Despite Nolan McLean fighting his way through 5.1 innings of one-run ball, New York made struggling Phillies starter Aaron Nola look like his former ace-like self, mustering five hits in a 1-0 loss.
The offense was putrid for a second straight game, which has helped extend the Mets’ current losing streak to three games. They were held to just two runs in Cincinnati against the Reds after being held to just one hit for the first eight innings of a 3-2 loss.
“I think it’s just having a hard time putting everything together for quite a bit,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We got out of the gate and everything was working. And then, at times, whether it was the starting pitching or runners in scoring position offensively, we haven’t been able to play good defense at times. So, I feel like we haven’t done that consistently, and here we are. But continue to trust the guys, I know we have a lot of talent and we’re going to turn the page.”
Where the Mets are is not in a particularly good place.
The series-opening loss in Philly on Monday night has all but destroyed any hope of mounting a late push for the division. Entering Tuesday night’s action, they trail the Phillies by eight games for the National League East with 18 games to play, which means that Mendoza has to shift his sights toward reality rather than false hope.
At this rate, the Mets are in danger of missing the postseason altogether. While they have lost seven of their last 11 games, the San Francisco Giants are charging with 12 wins in their last 15 to move within three games of New York, which holds the third and final NL Wild Card spot.
“Obviously, the goal is to win the division,” he said. “But we’ve got to keep going. We’ve got to turn the page here. We’ve got to be ready for another game and continue to get the job done. But overall, the inconsistency and here we are in this position.”
The schedule is not easy, either. After the Phillies, the Mets meet a Texas Rangers club that took two of three from the Houston Astros and shut out the league’s hottest team, the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-0 on Monday night. Then comes a San Diego Padres team that has given the Mets fits in recent years.
“Very confident,” Mendoza said when asked about the belief in his squad. “This is a team that’s been through a lot, and we’ll find a way. We’ll find a way to get the job done. We’ve got to keep fighting. We’ve got to continue to work. But I trust those guys. There’s a lot of experience there, there’s a lot of talent, and I’m pretty confident that we’ll get to where we want to get.”
