Losing Continues for First Place Mets
It’s starting to feel like a freefall as the losses keep pilling up for the New York Mets. Yet, somehow, someway, they maintain a half game lead in first place in the NL East. That is because the Atlanta Braves have hit a speed bump having lost four of its last five, including a 4-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.
Still it’s little consolation for the Mets who lost to the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Wednesday, the first time this year any team has swept a three game series from the Mets.
The Mets found themselves in a 6-0 hole before they ever took a turn at bat. The Cubs plated six runs in the top of the first inning, with five of those runs coming on doubles by Yan Gomes, P.J. Higgins and Michael Hermosillo. Mets starting pitcher David Peterson didn’t even get out of the first inning, relieved after giving up five runs in a third of an inning for Trevor Williams.
Give Williams and the Mets bullpen credit. They held the Cubs to just a run on five hits over the games final eight-and-two-thirds innings.
Still the Mets couldn’t find much offense. The Mets managed only three runs; two of which came on solo homers by Tomas Nido and Pete Alonso. The third run scored on an error by the Cubs.
The pressure is starting to be felt.
"We don't want it to happen to us, but it seems to happen to every team at some point. We've been able to respond to those challenges"
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 15, 2022
- Buck Showalter on if this feels like a missed opportunity with the Braves losing a few games and them not being able to capitalize on it pic.twitter.com/Hcv1eDmmEu
“It doesn’t matter who’s on the other side,” New York shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “We can’t take it for granted. We’ve got to respect our opponent, and hats off to the Cubs. They came in, they played well, they executed.”
“We’re trying to get to that finish line and have a chance to be the last team standing and all those goals are still there for us, but these are the times (that test you),” manager Buck Showalter said. “We’ve had challenges this year. We know it hasn’t been always aesthetically pleasing but I think because of the time of year and the things that are going on, there’s a lot more rightful focus on it.”
The Mets had a great opportunity before them. They had two weeks to face some of the dregs of the National League including the Nationals, Pirates, Marlins and Cubs, and came out of it with a record of 5-7, and even fell out of first place for all of one day.
When will the turnaround happen? Mets fans are waiting.
