Reds vs. Mets Recap: Matt Harvey roughed up, Ike Davis costs Mets in field

When I realized that Matt Harvey Day was falling on Mike Piazza Day, I thought the Mets couldn't lose. But it appears that not even good karma can save this team.

Days when Matt Harvey is on the mound are supposed to be when Mets fans can enjoy the 2013 season and look forward to what lies ahead. Not so on Wednesday afternoon as Harvey was knocked around for four runs in six and a third innings. He actually had decent stuff, (he is, after all, Matt Harvey), so credit the Reds' potent bats for taking it to the phenom.

The Mets showed some life on offense, tying the game at four in the seventh, and it looked like we might have a Matt Harvey Day miracle in the works. Rick Ankiel continued to rake (who ever questioned that move?), and Daniel Murphy did likewise.

But those positives were lost thanks to questionable decision making at first base by Ike Davis. It certainly seems as if Ike's inability to hit staying with him in the field and hurting his defense. In the ninth inning with runners on first and third and one out, Brandon Phillips hit a slow grounder down the first baseline. What should have been an easy play turned ugly as Davis let the ball skip past him, thinking it would be foul. It wasn't and the winning run scored, followed by two more later in the inning.

Today is May 22nd and the Mets are now ten games under .500.

SB Nation Coverage

* Amazin' Avenue Gamethread
* Red Reporter Gamethread

Win Probability Added

(What's this?)

Big winners: Rick Ankiel .424 WPA, Daniel Murphy .205 WPA
Big losers: Bobby Parnell -.466, Matt Harvey -.288 WPA (as a pitcher)
Teh aw3s0mest play: Ankiel's 7th inning triple (28.7%)
Teh sux0rest play: Brandon Phillips' ninth inning double (-21.8%)
Total pitcher WPA: -.617
Total batter WPA: .117
GWRBI!: Brandon Phillips