Mets vs. Rockies Recap: The offensive blackout continues

For the third time in four games, the Mets were shut out, dropping their fifth straight game, 2-0 against the Rockies. Despite mostly solid pitching, the Mets’ offensive jump simply can’t get going right now, despite last night’s late game theatrics.

Steven Matz, after having his start pushed back due to a stiff back, did not look worse for wear. Aside from a first inning home run to straightaway center field off the bat of Nolan Arenado, Matz more or less kept the Rockies in check.

Matz allowed two stolen bases which, along with a passed ball, accounted for the only time, after Arenado’s home run, that a Rockies batter touched second base in his six innings. In total, Matz struck out five, walked one, and gave up three hits.

His Rockies counterpart, Chad Bettis, looked equally impressive, and was able to keep the Mets off the board, despite only striking out two. Bettis was the beneficiary of soft contact and some excellent fielding, often times from Arenado. Aside from an Asdrubal Cabrera single in the first inning, Bettis kept the Mets off the base paths until the fourth inning.

With two outs in the fourth, Jay Bruce doubled down the left field line, which was followed up by a Todd Frazier walk. Adrian Gonzalez grounded out to end that threat. Two innings later, in the bottom of the sixth, Cabrera and Bruce both singled with one out. Frazier then hit a sharp line drive directly at Trevor Story, who quickly doubled Cabrera off second to end the inning.

The Mets wouldn’t put more than one runner on base for the rest of the game.

Paul Sewald continued his impressive 2018 season with a nine-pitch seventh inning, and Robert Gsellman’s eighth inning was almost as impressive. Gselllman also got the ball in the ninth, and while he retired the first two batters, he struggled to finish the inning.

After hitting Chris Ianetta on the forearm, Gsellman gave up a weak-hit ground ball to Noel Cuevas that snuck into the outfield. A wild pitch moved the runners up, and an intentional walk to Carlos Gonzalez loaded the bases.

Pinch hitter David Dahl singled to left, scoring Ianetta from third. Cuevas rounded third, and looked to be able to score easily. That didn’t come to pass, however, because of the right arm of one Yoenis Cespedes. Cuevas was gunned down at the plate on, yet another, laser beam from Cespedes, limited the scoring to just the one run. It was only fitting that he had a highlight on Cespedes garden gnome (g)night.

In the ninth, Wade Davis, who threw 29 pitches last night in a rough save situation, did not need to work nearly as hard tonight. Two groundouts and a lazy fly ball later, and the game was over.

The Mets look to win their first game in a week, when Noah Syndergaard starts against Kyle Freeland tomorrow afternoon in Flushing.

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What’s WPA?

Big winners: Steven Matz, +18.0% WPA
Big losers: Todd Frazier, -20.9% WPA, Adrian Gonzalez, -15.0% WPA, Yoenis Cespedes, -12.5% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Brandon Nimmo’s eighth inning walk, +9.8 % WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Todd Frazier lines into a double play to end the sixth inning, -15.4% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: +20.9% WPA
Total batter WPA: -70.9% WPA
GWRBI!: Nolan Arenado