Mets vs. Brewers Recap: Defensive and offensive woes bury Mets in series finale

The Mets went into Sunday's contest up two games to one this weekend against the Brewers, but the team could not take the series, despite a late comeback, falling to Milwaukee 5-3. Before the game even started, the Mets were having a bad day, with manager Terry Collins being admitted to a Milwaukee-area hospital. The Mets claim that Collins is fine, and they were being cautious, but that's no way to start a game, morale wise, for a team. Bench coach Dick Scott managed the team for the day.

The actual game started off promising, with the Mets second through fourth batters getting on, loading the bases with only one out. However, no runs scored, as the team was unable to capitalize on the opportunity. After these three base runners, Brewers started Zach Davies only allowed two more base runners in the game, which came in the top of the seventh inning. Davis struck out seven and only walked one over six plus innings.

Steven Matz started for the Mets, and was both the victim of his own lack of execution, as well as some defensive miscues. The Mets committed three errors in the first five innings, and while only one of Matz's runs were marked unearned, the sloppy game play extended innings and made the Mets' climb back much harder.

In the second inning, Aaron Hill, Scooter Gennett, and Keon Broxton strung together hits, and, with a Gennett stolen base, made it second and third with only one out. Davis then got down a sacrifice bunt, and due to Matz throwing the ball away, both runners scored.

In the fifth inning, the Brewers again capitalized on the Mets' shaky defense, after Davis and Jonathan Villar both singled to start the inning, with Davis advancing to third on a Wilmer Flores error. Davis would score two batters later, before Villar stole second and was driven in by a Ryan Braun double.

Matz would also pitch the sixth, and despite giving up two singles, managed to get through the sixth unscathed. He struck out five and walked none over his six innings of work.

The Mets' bats awoke slightly in the seventh, where Kelly Johnson hit a lead off double, followed by a James Loney single. Former Met - and Justin Turner cosplayer - Blaine Boyer relieved Davies,  and the Mets were able to capitalize slightly. New York  had first and third with no outs, but only scored one run, when Johnson scored on an Alajandro De Aza fielder's choice.

The parade of former Met relievers continued in the eighth, with Carlos Torres relieving Boyer, and promptly giving up a double to pinch hitter Juan Lagares, and an RBI single by Curtis Granderson. After striking out Matt Reynolds, Yoenis Cespedes doubled, scoring Granderson. This would prove to be the last of the Mets' offense, as they went quietly in the ninth, despite a Kevin Plawecki single.

The Mets have an off day tomorrow, before welcoming the Pirates - to whom they lost two of three last week - to Citi Field.

SB Nation GameThreads

* Amazin' Avenue GameThread
* Brew Crew Ball GameThread

Box scores

* MLB.com
* ESPN

Win Probability Added

(What's WPA?)

Big winners: Yoenis Cespedes, 10.9%
Big losers: Steven Matz, -21.2%
Teh aw3s0mest play: Cespedes doubles in the 8th
Teh sux0rest play: Wilmer Flores lines out in the 8th
Total pitcher WPA: -19.1
Total batter WPA: -30.9
GWRBI!: Ryan Braun