Final Score: Diamondbacks 6, Mets 5—Disaster in the Desert

In a game that induced flashbacks of 2018, Jacob deGrom pitched brilliantly and had a lead squandered by the Mets bullpen. The Mets struck first against Zack Greinke in the first inning via a Dominic Smith opposite field single followed by a Pete Alonso double. The Mets extended their lead to 4-0 in the fourth when Todd Frazier belted a two-run homer and hits from Carlos Gomez, Adeiny Hechavarria, and Tomas Nido plated yet another run. This chased Greinke from the game early.

Meanwhile, Jacob deGrom cruised through the middle innings, at one point retiring fifteen Diamondbacks in a row. Just when it looked like deGrom would go eight or maybe even nine innings, he was pulled from the game with two outs in the seventh with what appeared to be a hip injury, despite much protest on his part. Jeurys Familia got the key final out of the seventh with two men on and one run already in and the damage was limited to just the one run to make the score 4-1. Dominic Smith then added what proved to be a crucial insurance run in the form of a long solo shot to dead center in the top of the eighth inning off Zack Godley, who had given the Diamondbacks three scoreless innings of relief prior to the home run.

Mickey Callaway sent Familia back out to pitch the eighth inning for the Mets and things went south quickly from there. He hit the pinch hitter Locastro with a pitch to lead off the inning. Then, Jarrod Dyson hit a dribbler just in front of home plate that Nido threw wildly past first base into right field, allowing Locastro to go to third. A single and a sacrifice fly then plated two runs to narrow the Mets lead to 5-3. Mickey Callaway then turned to Robert Gsellman—who had been used three of the past four days—to get the last two outs of the inning. Adam Jones greeted Gsellman with a game-tying two-run homer. Gsellman finished the inning without allowing the Diamondbacks to take the lead, but the damage had been done.

The Mets went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth and Drew Gagnon started the bottom of the ninth, but got into trouble and Mickey Callaway turned to his closer Edwin Diaz to bail him out. Diaz got the final out in the ninth and struck out the size in the tenth. But the Diamondbacks walked it off in the eleventh against Tyler Bashlor to complete yet another bullpen meltdown.

Full recap to follow.

GameThread Roll Call

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1. MetsFan4Decades: 170
2. Kepler: 124
3. Jets Mets Devils Nets 16: 78
4. kidCoyote: 72
5. wilwilco: 71
6. The Glider: 61
7. Grominator: 51
8. JR and the Off-Balance Shots: 51
9. David Klein: 42
10. elephants gerald: 38