The Mets have relied on their starting pitching for the past month. And more often than not, the results have been good. Since May 26, Mets starters had a 2.63 ERA, giving up 45 runs in 154 innings, having allowed three runs or fewer in 20 of the 24 starts before last night.
But last night, the Mets made it 20 for 25, as Dillon Gee lasted just four innings, allowing six walks while suffering his first defeat of the season in a 7-3 loss to the Athletics. That makes two games in a row where the starting pitcher has tossed a dud. In the Mets’ last game on Sunday, Jonathon Niese lasted four innings, allowing eight hits and five runs.
“You have to tip your hat to their offense. Also, [our starting pitching has] been lights out for about 20 games,” Mets first baseman Daniel Murphy said after the loss. “They are human beings just like the rest of us. Of course it is a little bit harder to dig yourself out of a 4-0 hole than it is to get a lead, but you can’t say enough about what our starting pitching has done.”
Despite the solid starting pitching, the Mets are just 12-13 over their past 25 games. The bullpen has failed to make most of the solid starts count, and the offense has not found ways to win close games. The Mets are just 1-4 in their past five one-run games.
The Mets left runners on in every inning but the fifth, sixth and ninth.
Gee left the game trailing 4-0, and D.J. Carrasco who replaced him couldn’t get the job done either. He allowed three runs on four hits in two innings of work to make it a 7-1 deficit.
Murphy, who batted cleanup, went 0-for-4. The Mets’ one-through-four hitters went 1-for-18.
“On those days that are few and far between when something like that happens, as an offense, we need to step up,” he said.
They stranded nine runners last night, the biggest three coming in the eighth inning when trailing 7-3, Josh Thole grounded into a fielder’s choice as the tying run with the bases loaded.
“It’s frustrating, but you keep giving yourself opportunities, and eventually good things will happen,” Murphy said.
After a 6-4 road trip, the Mets are 1-3 on their current six-game homestand.
“It is a 162-game season. We’ll get back on the winning way tomorrow. And we still have a chance to win this series,” Murphy said.
