Seven Dodger home runs were just too much to overcome for the Mets

Despite scoring seven runs, despite coming back time and time again, the Mets simply could not pull off a victory in the finale against the Dodgers, losing 8-7 in a game that, of course, ended with Justin Turner sticking it to his old team. Life is pain.

Due to Jason Vargas hitting the disabled list, the Mets needed a starter for today’s game. Instead of messing with the rotation or asking a reliever to stretch beyond their regular workload, the Mets opted for a bullpen game, with Jerry Blevins being the first to get the ball.

Blevins’s day didn’t start off so nicely, leading off the game with back to back home runs from Enrique Hernandez and Max Muncy. Blevins would eventually settle down, and retire the next six batters to face him, striking out three and walking none.

The Mets got a run back in the bottom of the second, when Dominic Smith was hit by a Rich Hill pitch and then was driven in by a Kevin Plawecki double. Luis Guillorme was the first pinch hitter of the game, hitting for Blevins, and he flew out to end the inning.

Tim Peterson was next up for the Mets, and he retired the side in order in the top of the third. In the bottom of the third, the Mets would get a run back, when Brandon Nimmo was hit by a pitch and then scored on a Wilmer Flores double, tying the game at 2-2.

Peterson’s second inning was not as smooth as his first, as he surrendered the third solo home run of the game, this time from Cody Bellinger. Peterson’s day was over when Kevin Kaczmarski pinch hit for him, grounding out to end the fourth.

Chris Beck was next up for the Mets and, like Peterson had a successful first inning of work, setting the Dodgers down in order in the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Nimmo was hit by a pitch for the third time today. He would leave the game, though thankfully x-rays on his pinky finger came back negative. Michael Conforto replaced him in center field.

Two batters later, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run home run to center field, giving the Mets their first lead of the day, 4-3. A two-out double by Jose Bautista did not lead to any additional runs, and the Mets turned their lead over to Beck.

Unfortunately, Beck’s second inning, again, mirrored Peterson’s, as he gave up the fourth solo home run of the game, again to Hernandez, tying the game yet again. This theme would continue.

In the top of the seventh, Beck walked Yasiel Puig on four pitches, but Puig was caught stealing for the first out. After a Logan Forsythe ground out, Mickey Callway pulled Beck in favor of Anthony Swarzak. The decision was regretted almost instantly, as on the second pitch of the afternoon, Swarzak gave up the fifth solo home run of the game to Joc Pederson.

The eighth inning was no better for Swarzak, who gave up two singles to Hernandez and Muncy to start the inning. Matt Kemp then grounded into a double play, but Hernandez scored, putting the Mets down by two. The next batter, Bellinger, hit his second solo home run of the game, putting the Dodgers up 7-4. Swarzak eventually induced a Forsythe fly out to end the inning.

But this was a game of up and downs, and so the Mets responded yet again, this time against former Met Goopy Erik Goeddel. After a Flores ground out, Baustista drew a five-pitch walk, and was quickly followed by a Smith single. Kevin Plawecki, who had made an error on a dropped pop up earlier in the game, tied the game with a three-run home run.

Jeurys Familia started the ninth with a four pitch walk to Pederson, who was followed by Yasmani Grandal, who drove a ball to the warning track in center field before Conforto grabbed it. Back to back strikeouts to former Met Justin Turner and Hernandez gave the Mets a chance at a walk-off win.

Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for the Mets, and induced a ground ball from Conforto for the first out. Todd Frazier singled over shortstop to put the winning run on base for the Mets, but he never came around to score. It seemed only right that the game was going to extra innings.

The decision to not let the early pitchers bat would come back to haunt the Mets, as their bench was depleted far earlier than it should have been.

In the top of the tenth, Drew Smith, in his second professional outing, worked around singles from Chase Utley and Puig to get the Mets to the bottom of the tenth, still tied at seven apiece. The Mets couldn’t capitalize on a Bautista walk, and the eleventh inning came calling.

In the eleventh, Chris Flexen gave up a solo home run - the Dodgers’ seventh - to Turner, naturally, to put the Dodgers up for good. This was the Dodgers’ seventh home run of the game, a new Citi Field record. Joy.

Tomorrow, the Mets hope to shake this current six game losing streak when the Pirates come to town. Seth Lugo looks to put his last start behind him when he faces off against Jameson Taillon.

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What’s WPA?

Big winners: Kevin Plawecki, +43.1% WPA, Jeurys Familia, +13.1% WPA, Drew Smith, +13.1% WPA, Jose Bautista, +11.2% WPA
Big losers: Anthony Swarzak, -38.4% WPA, Chris Flexen, -31.1% WPA, Jose Reyes, -20.4% WPA, Todd Frazier, -19.4% WPA, Jerry Blevins, -12.5% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Kevin Plawecki’s three-run home run, +40.6% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Justin Turner’s game winning home run, -41.8% WPA
Total pitcher WPA: -57.5% WPA
Total batter WPA: +7.5% WPA
GWRBI!: Justin F’ng Turner