Mets Offense Fails To Capitalize in 5-3 Loss

After a 6-1 win over St. Louis on Friday, the Mets and Cardinals continued their three-game series on Saturday afternoon on Citi Field. The Mets gave the ball to right-handed pitcher Kodai Senga for his first start against the Cardinals with the Mets looking to claim the series win. Senga (6-3, 3.34 ERA over 12 […]

The post Mets Offense Fails To Capitalize in 5-3 Loss first appeared on Metsmerized Online.

Photo Credit: The Enquirer

After a 6-1 win over St. Louis on Friday, the Mets and Cardinals continued their three-game series on Saturday afternoon on Citi Field. The Mets gave the ball to right-handed pitcher Kodai Senga for his first start against the Cardinals with the Mets looking to claim the series win. Senga (6-3, 3.34 ERA over 12 starts) was opposed by the veteran righty Adam Wainwright (2-1, 5.79 ERA over seven starts).

Senga started Saturday’s game coming off a strong outing on June 10 against Pittsburgh, in which he threw seven scoreless innings, giving up just two hits, four walks, and struck out six).

The Mets had opportunities to score with baserunners on in most innings of today’s game, but they were unable to capitalize as the Cardinals cruised past 5-3 over the Mets. The only runs for the day for the Mets came off of Brandon Nimmo‘s lead-off home run in the bottom of the first and Luis Guillorme‘s two-run shot in the fifth.

https://twitter.com/Mets/status/1670166076246700033/video/1

Senga quickly put himself in a jam in the top of the first. After a first pitch out, he gave up a single to Paul Goldschmidt to right field. Two batters later he hit Wilson Contreras and then walked Jordan walker to load the bases with two outs. But Senga in his clutch ways struck out Nolan Gorman to get out of the bases-loaded jam and end the inning unscathed stranding three Cardinals and keeping them off the scoreboard.

Senga gets out of trouble! pic.twitter.com/6nXIL8pVib

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) June 17, 2023

The Mets showed their starter they have his back by getting off to a quick lead in the bottom of the first. On the first pitch from Wainwright, Brandon Nimmo hit one deep to right center field to give the Mets a 1-0 lead over Wainwright and the Cardinals. Wainwright then retired the next three batters he faced to retire the side without further damage.

Brandon Nimmo first pitch SEE YA! The Mets lead the Cardinals 1-0! pic.twitter.com/1Fx3z2IXYJ

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) June 17, 2023

Senga then got into trouble for a second inning in a row in the top of the second giving up three hits and three runs allowing the Cardinals to take the lead. Tommy Edman got the Cardinals’ momentum started with a one-out double to left field. Two batters later Brendan Donovan hit an RBI single to center field to score Edman to tie the game, 1-1. Senga then gave up a two-run home run to the next batter, Paul Goldschmidt that scored Donovan and gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead over the Mets before Senga retired the side. But not before the Cardinals struck for three runs and took the early lead.

The Mets tried to put something together in the bottom of the second. Wainwright gave up a lead-off single to Brett Baty and walked his first batter in Daniel Vogelbach, but the Mets left their runners stranded as Canha grounded into a double play to end the inning.

The Cardinals extended their lead in the third. Jordan Walker hit a one-out home run to right field to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 4-1 over the Mets. He retired the next two he faced to get out of the inning.

The Mets put a base runner on in the bottom half of the inning, with a two-out walk by Marte. But Jeff McNeil grounded into a double play to end the inning.

In his best inning of the afternoon, Senga retired the Cardinals in order in the fourth inning.

Tommy Pham hit a lead-off single to get the Mets’ offense going in the fifth inning, but Baty grounded into a double play and Francisco Alvarez lined out to end the inning.

The Cardinals put one-runner on in the fifth as Senga threw well for the second inning in a row. Contreras reached on an error by Guillorme, but Senga retired the other three he faced to get out of the inning. Through five innings, Senga had seven strikeouts, which was one strikeout higher than his June 6 outing against Pittsburgh.

The Mets got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth to come within one-run of the Cardinals with plenty of baseball left to be played.

Daniel Vogelbach started the Mets off with a lead-off single to right field. Two batters later Luis Guillorme launched his first home run of the season to deep right-center field. It was a two-run home run that scored Vogelbach to bring make it a 4-3 game as the Mets came within one of the Cardinals. Nimmo then walked to put the tying run on for New York, but they left him stranded as Marte struck out and McNeil grounded out to end the inning.

Guillorme brings the Mets within one on his first home of the year!

B5: Cardinals 4 | Mets 3 pic.twitter.com/neCoEeFFjh

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) June 17, 2023

Senga retired the Cardinals in order in the sixth inning. He recorded his eighth strikeout of the day as well. Senga struggled through his first few innings of work, but settled in well after three innings.

Francisco Alvarez hit his first hit of the day in the bottom of the sixth, but Wainwright retired the other three Mets he faced to retire the side.

Senga came back out in the seventh to pitch for the Mets. He grounded out the first two batters he faced before his outing came to an end. After 6 2/3 innings pitched, Jeff Brigham (0-1, 4.32 ERA) came in to replace Senga on the mound.

Brigham walked Goldschmidt to put the first runner he faced on first. He then grounded out Nolan Arenado to end the inning.

Kodai Senga’s Final Line:

6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 2 HR, 3.53 ERA

Wainwright came back out for the bottom of the seventh for the Cardinals. After a flyout of Mark Canha, his outing was finished after 6 1/3 innings pitched.. Andre Pallante came in to replace Wainwright on the mound for the Cardinals.

Adam Wainwright’s Final Line:

6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 5.56 ERA

After the pitching change, the Mets offense tried to make some noise once again. Guillorme had his second hit of the day, a double to left field. Two batters later, with two outs, Marte walked to put two on. But McNeil’s rough day at the plate continued with a ground out. He was 0-4 through seven innings.

After getting the last out of the seventh, Brigham came back out to pitch the eighth for the Mets. He collected the first two outs of that inning as well before his day came to an end. With two outs, the Mets brought in Brooks Raley to replace Brigham on the mound. He collected the final out of the eighth to end the inning.

The Cardinals went to their bullpen and bench in the bottom of the eighth. Giovanny Gallegos came on to replace Pallante on the mound; Oscar Mercado replaced left fielder Jordan Walker and took over the fifth spot in the batting order.

Gallegos allowed just one baserunner in the bottom of the eighth on a one-out single by Baty. But he retired the other three Mets he faced to retire the side and take the game to the ninth with the Cardinals still leading it.

Brooks Raley came back on to pitch the ninth for the Mets in hopes of keeping the Cardinals at bay and giving the Mets a chance in the bottom of the ninth.

Raley struggled in the ninth and allowed the Cardinals to extend their lead. Paul DeJong led off the inning with a single to left field. Edman then grounded into a force out. After Edman stole second, pinch-hitter Dylan Carlson hit an RBI single to left field that scored Edman and extended the Cardinals’ lead to 5-3 over the Mets. Donovan then came on and singled to left field to put two on and end Raley’s day.

Adam Ottavino came on to relieve Raley in the eighth.

Ottavino struck out two in a row to get the Mets out of the inning.

The Cardinals went to their bullpen in the ninth. They brought on the hard-throwing Jordan Hicks to replace Gallegos on the mound.

Just after arriving to the ballpark after the birth of his second baby girl, Francisco Lindor did what he asked Buck Showalter if he could do earlier in the day, come on to pinch-hit.

Francisco Lindor is back in the Mets' dugout after he and his wife welcomed their second child earlier today pic.twitter.com/gbONctWqe9

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 17, 2023

Lindor was hit by a 102mph pitch to take a base and bring the tying run to the plate. But again the Mets were unable to capitalize as Hicks struck out the next three he faced to end the inning, the game, and close the Cardinals’ 5-3 win over the Mets.

Wainwright (3-1, 5.56 ERA) was credited with the Cardinals’ win. Senga (6-4, 3.53 ERA) was credited with the loss, and Hicks was credited with his first save of the season (4.30 ERA).

Metsmerized Player of the Game:

The Metsmerized Player of the Game is Luis Guillorme. He was two-for-four with a two-run home run and a run scored.

UP NEXT:

The Mets and Cardinals conclude their three-game series at Citi Field on Sunday at 1:40 PM ET. It will be Matthew Liberatore (1-2, 5.14 ERA) on the mound for the visiting Cardinals against Carlos Carrasco (2-3, 5.71 ERA) for the home Mets.

Following their series against the Cardinals, the Mets will take to the road for a six-game road trip over the course of seven days. They will first head to Texas to take on the Houston Astros in a three-game series, followed by a three-game series against the Phillies in Philadelphia. They return home next Monday, June 26 against the Milwaukee Brewers on Starling Marte Bobblehead Night!

The post Mets Offense Fails To Capitalize in 5-3 Loss first appeared on Metsmerized Online.