The Mets have found a way to lose every game but one since they resumed played following the All Star break, but the team's bullpen — its biggest weakness all year — managed to blow the game in epic fashion in extra innings. That might sound familiar since the bullpen did the exact same thing on Sunday.
Chris Young gave up a pair of runs on a Bryce Harper home run in the first inning but settled in nicely and threw seven innings in total without giving up any more runs to the Nationals. Young surpassed preseason expectations when he returned to the Mets in the first place, but his 3.91 ERA in nine starts has been a very welcome surprise. His start tonight was one of the very few bright spots for the Mets.
The other two enjoyable moments of the game came on a David Wright home run in the fourth inning to pull the Mets within one and an Ike Davis home run to tie the game in the seventh.
Josh Edgin, Jon Rauch, and Bobby Parnell combined to throw two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth inning, but the bullpen's wheels fell off completely in the tenth.
Tim Byrdak began the inning and allowed a single to Roger Bernadina, and Sandy Leon — who? — reached base on an error by Ruben Tejada at second base. Byrdak was pulled in favor of Pedro Beato, and things got much, much worse.
Beato got an out at third base on a failed sacrifice bunt attempt by Mark DeRosa, but he gave up four consecutive hits after that, including a two-run double by Ryan Zimmerman and a two-run home run by Mike Morse. In total, the Nationals plated six runs to put the game away.
The Mets weren't able to answer in the bottom of the inning, and to ice the horrible cake that was this game, Justin Turner flew out for the final out of the loss.
The Mets look to win their second game since the All Star break tomorrow at 7:10 pm at Citi Field. R.A. Dickey will start for New York, and Gio Gonzalez, who struggled against the Mets last week, starts for Washington.
SB Nation Coverage
* Traditional Recap
* Boxscore
* Amazin' Avenue Gamethread
* Federal Baseball Gamethread
Win Probability Added
Big winners: Ike Davis, +16.4% WPA, Bobby Parnell, +13.2% WPA
Big losers: Pedro Beato, -29.9% WPA, Jordany Valdespin, -28.1% WPA, Jason Bay, -19.9% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Ike Davis' game-tying home run in the seventh, +24.5% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Bryce Harper's go-ahead single in the tenth, -18.7% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -15.4% WPA
Total batter WPA: -34.6% WPA
GWRBI!: Bryce Harper