Same story, different night as Mets falter yet again in Milwaukee

The Mets got off to an inauspicious start in Milwaukee, taking an absolute beating in the 10-0 first game. But they found themselves in a good position to win the second game, with Max Scherzer taking the mound against Wade Miley. However, if the Mets have any kryptonite in recent history, it’s a mediocre, soft tossing southpaw.

The top of the first inning started on a positive note, with Brandon Nimmo singling to put the Mets first runner on base. However, the following three batters (Starling Marte, Francisco Lindor, and Pete Alonso) all hit into outs to strand Nimmo. In the bottom of the inning, Christian Yelich immediately singled in a mirror of the previous inning. The Brewers, unlike the Mets, were able to capitalize. Willy Adames hit a one-out single to center that advanced Yelich to third and Adames was able to take second on a throwing mistake by Nimmo. Then Brian Anderson hit a two out double that scored both Yelich and Adames. The inning ended without any further damage, but the Mets were suddenly down yet again to Milwaukee.

In the next inning, the Mets were unable to do anything other than a Jeff McNeil two-out single. In the bottom half of the inning, the Brewers were also stifled, with a Joey Wiemer two-out single and stolen base being the only action they saw that inning. In the third inning, the Mets again only saw a one-out single from Nimmo, with no one else doing anything of note. Scherzer was able to send the side down in order in the bottom of the third.

In the top of the fourth, the Mets went down in order, their bats still quiet since leaving Miami. In the bottom of the inning, Victor Caratini hit a two-out single, but other than that they were also still struggling to find any success at the plate. The fifth inning started with McNeil getting hit by a pitch, and Eduardo Escobar getting a single to put runners on first and second. Tomás Nido struck out, and Nimmo hit into a force out, getting Escobar out at second but Nimmo being safe at first and McNeil making it to third. But Marte was unable to capitalize and the Mets ended the inning still scoreless. The bottom of the inning looked a little shaky to start, with Wiemer getting on with a single. But Yelich lined out to Marte and Wiemer ran a little too far, allowing Marte to throw him out before he could return to first. Jesse Winker grounded out to end the inning.

The top of the sixth saw Lindor hitting into a long out, Alonso just missing a home run on a fly out, and Tommy Pham popping out to have the side go down in order. In the bottom of the inning, Adames led off with a fly out, but Rowdy Tellez hit a long home run to add another run to Milwaukee’s lead. Anderson followed that up with a home run of his own, setting the lead for MIlwaukee at four runs.Then, in a nice change of pace, Garrett Mitchell hit another home run, putting the Brewers up five runs. After a walk to Caratini, Scherzer was pulled for Denyi Reyes, who was only called up hours prior. Reyes was able to end the inning without any further damage, but the Mets created quite a hole to try and dig themselves out of.

In the top of the seventh, the Brewers brought in Peter Strzelecki in relief, and other than a McNeil one-out single, Strzelecki was able to keep the Mets offense completely locked down. In the bottom of the inning, the Mets brought in Brooks Raley to pitch. Yelich and Adames both reached, but with two outs it seemed that Raley would get out unscathed. Looks can be deceiving, however, and Raley gave up a three-run home run to Anderson, and then a solo homer to Mitchell, putting the Brewers up by nine runs with just two innings to go.

In the eighth inning, the Brewers called on Hoby Milner to pitch. Nimmo singled to put a runner on, and Marte grounded into a force out to keep a runner on base, but yet again the Mets were unable to do anything, ending the inning stranding Marte on base. In the bottom of the inning Adam Ottavino took the mound for the Mets, and he limited the damage, with the only baserunner he allowed (Wiemer on an infield single) erased in a double play. In the ninth, the Brewers brought out Javy Guerra to try and close things out. And with the exception of a McNeil single, the Mets went out with a whimper, ending the game and losing the series.

The Mets are looking at the very real possibility of a sweep at the hands of the Brewers, with the final game of the season being started by Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee’s ace. And the most concerning part is split between their inability to drive in any runners and for some players to just hit in general, and also the fact that with the exception of Kodai Senga, the Mets rotation looks more than a little shaky. It’s only the second series of the season, so any sweeping statements are at the very least ridiculous at this point. There’s plenty of time to turn this around, but the Mets have to hope this is an aberration instead of a pattern.

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What’s WPA?

Big Mets winner: Jeff McNeil, +7.1% WPA
Big Mets loser: Francisco Lindor, -15.6% WPA
Mets pitchers: -15.6% WPA
Mets hitters: -34.4% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Eduardo Escobar single in the top of the fifth inning, +7.7% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Brian Anderson 2 RBI double in the bottom of the first, -16.9% WPA