Mets Late Rally Falls Short vs. Mariners; First Series Loss of Year
MARINERS 8 – METS 7 The Seattle Mariners did something that nobody up to this point had been able to do: win a series from the New York Mets. Trailing…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 15: Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets reacts after striking out with the bases loaded to end the game against the Seattle Mariners at Citi Field on May 15, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
MARINERS 8 - METS 7
The Seattle Mariners did something that nobody up to this point had been able to do: win a series from the New York Mets.
Trailing 8-5 heading into the ninth inning, the Mets rallied, scoring two runs on a single by Jeff McNeil and a double by Brandon Nimmo -- all with one out. Trailing only 8-7 with one out, Mariners closer Diego Castillo struck out Starling Marte swinging on a pitch in the dirt for out number two. Mariners Manager Scott Servais elected to walk Franciso Lindor to load the bases for Pete Alonso.
The gamble worked.
Alonso did a lot right in the at bat. He took his time between pitches, and worked it full to 3-2. However he swung and missed badly on two sliders out of the zone, including the clincher when he couldn't check his swing to end it. Castillo had thrown Alonso six consecutive sliders to end the ball game. He got him on the sixth.
The Mets left the bases loaded, and lost by only one run -- a heartbreaker 8-7.
The loss ended a wild weekend series between the Mets and Mariners that saw every single game decided by a single run.
On Sunday the Mets grabbed the early lead when Lindor homered in the bottom of the first inning. The Mariners tied it at one on a double-play ground out by Cal Raleigh. Seattle later plated three runs across against Mets starter Carlos Carrasco in the fourth inning to take a 4-1 lead.
The Mets rallied in the bottom half of the fourth. Back-to-back two-run triples by J.D. Davis and Brandon Nimmo gave the Mets a 5-4 lead. A lead they could not hold as Mariners rookie phenom Julio Rodriguez tied the proceedings on a solo homer in the top of the fifth.
Raleigh would hit a two-run bomb of his own in the sixth. And Rodriguez came back to drive in Jesse Winker for what turned out to be the deciding run in the seventh as Seattle took an 8-5 lead.
The Mets, who are going to be without starter Tylor Megill, who is on the 15-day IL with biceps tendonitis, host the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.
