Marlins 4, Mets 3: Isringhausen's Regression In Full Effect

If the Mets want to win baseball games with Jason Isringhausen playing the role of closer, they simply cannot afford to play anything but perfect defense in those precious save situations. For the second night in a row, that was not the case.

It all began in the first inning when Omar Infante, the least likely of home run threats in the Marlins' lineup, hit a solo shot to put the Fish on the board. Chris Capuano didn't have any trouble outside of the one pitch he threw to Infante, though, and struck out the side in the first. Though he got into and worked out of a jam in the fourth inning, Capuano had a relatively easy time keeping the Marlins off the board for the next three innings.

In the bottom of the third, the Mets tied things up on a solo home run by Jose Reyes, his first home run of the year from the right side of the plate. In what would turn out to be the highlight of the game, at least for those watching on television, SNY had their Kidscaster of the Year calling that half of the inning, and the kid made a heck of a home run call.

In the top of the fifth, Infante hit another solo home run to put the Marlins back up by a run, but the Mets were able to scratch out a run in the bottom of the inning to tie things up again on a ground out by David Wright with runners on second and third.

The Mets took their first lead of the game in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Lucas Duda that featured a battle between Angel Pagan's speed from third base and Mike Stanton's arm from right field, a battle that Pagan won as Stanton's throw went pretty well wide of the plate.

With Capuano out of the game, Manny Acosta and Bobby Parnell pitched an inning a piece without allowing the Marlins to score, but things went downhill fast when Isringhausen came on to pitch the ninth. The combination of Isringhausen's propensity to put men on base and the Mets' poor fielding allowed the Marlins to score a pair of runs to take the late lead.

Izzy issued a walk to the Logan Morrison, the first batter he faced, a big no-no for any relief pitcher, especially in a one-run game. Unlike last night, he retired Mike Stanton, but Mike Cameron hit a rope of a single to put runners at the corners with one out. Cameron stole second before Isringhausen plunked John Buck to load the bases. Then came the defensive miscue.

Bryan Petersen entered the game as a pinch hitter and hit a weak grounder to second base that was simply too slow for a 4-6-3 double play, but it should have resulted in one run for the Fish and one sure out for the Metsies. Justin Turner fielded the ball, hesitated a bit while deciding whether to tag the runner coming from first or throw out Petersen and then air-mailed his throw way wide of first base. Two runs scored on the play, and the Marlins had regained the lead. The Mets escaped the inning without further damage, but it didn't much matter.

After Ronny Paulino pinch hit and drew a walk against lefty specialist Randy Choate, Leo Nunez came into the game and got a groundball double play and a strikeout to end the game, further diminishing whatever slim chance there might be of the Mets catching the Braves in the standings.

SB Nation Coverage

* Traditional Recap
* Boxscore
* Amazin' Avenue Gamethread
* Fish Stripes Gamethread

Win Probability Added

Big winners: Ronny Paulino, +13.2% WPA, Bobby Parnell, +11.1% WPA
Big losers: Jason Isringhausen, -68.0% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Justin Turner's ground rule double in the fifth, +14.0% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Justin Turner's error in the ninth, -46.4% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -44.8% WPA
Total batter WPA: -5.2% WPA
GWRBI!: n/a

Game Thread Roll Call

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