Bullpen falters late in Mets’ loss to Orioles

Considering how Jason Vargas’s season has gone, you would not be blamed if you assumed he was at fault for the final score. But he wasn’t to blame for the Mets’ 6-3 loss in Baltimore.

The Mets lost both games when they faced the Orioles at Citi Field earlier in the season and were looking for a bit of redemption in Baltimore. Unfortunately it was not to be had against a team that has already been mathematically eliminated from the division race.

The offense struggled to get anything going against Orioles starter Andrew Cashner. It was still scoreless in the fourth when Baltimore got on the board first. Vargas walked Renato Nunez with one out, and after Adam Jones doubled, Mark Trumbo hit a sacrifice fly to put the Orioles on the board.

The Mets struck back the next inning and would put together one of their few rallies for the night. Brandon Nimmo walked and Todd Frazier singled to set up first and second with one out. Austin Jackson had a tough night at the plate and he grounded into a double play to move Nimmo to third. Jose Bautista walked and then Kevin Plawecki singled to tie the game. The Mets took the lead one batter later when Amed Rosario also hit a single to make it 2-1.

Unfortunately, Vargas couldn’t hold that slim lead when Adam Jones took him deep in the sixth to tie the game. The good news for Vargas however, was he finally recorded an out in the sixth inning this season. He completed that inning and gave up just the two runs. It was without a doubt the best start of his season.

In the seventh, the Mets turned to Bobby Wahl and that is when the game turned. Chris Davis hit a solo shot to put the Orioles ahead and then Wahl fell apart. He proceeded to walk Caleb Joseph and Jonathan Villar and that was the end of his night. Paul Sewald entered to get the final out of the inning, but he gave up an infield single to Nunez to put Baltimore ahead 4-2.

Sewald remained in the game for the eighth and put the game out of reach when he gave up a two-run home run to Tim Beckham. He was unable to complete the inning and he left with runners on second and third and two-outs when Tyler Bashlor entered the game. He induced a ground ball from Villar but enough damage had already been done.

The Mets finally showed some more life in the top of the ninth but it was too little too late. Brandon Nimmo led off with a triple and came home on Todd Frazier’s infield single. He moved to second on an error but he remained there as the next three hitters went quietly to end the game.

One day after beating Luis Severino and the Yankees the Mets couldn’t really do anything against Andrew Cashner and the Orioles, but they have another opportunity to finally pick up a win against Baltimore with Zack Wheeler on the mound in the series finale.

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What’s WPA?

Big winners: None
Big losers: Austin Jackson -25.3%, Bobby Wahl -18.7%, Paul Sewald -13.1%
Teh aw3s0mest play: Amed Rosario RBI single in fifth
Teh sux0rest play: Chris David home run in seventh
Total pitcher WPA: -25.0%
Total batter WPA: -25.0%
GWRBI!: Renato Nunez