Game Recap: Sloppy Defense Earns Mets 6-2 Loss

It just keeps getting worse and worse. Over the first two games of their series against the Rockies, the Mets not only have been struggling to score runs against the worst pitching staff in baseball, but they have also forgotten how to fundamentally play defense. Jhoulys Chacin started his first game since May 1st and looked good in his return, while a solid start from Chris Young was wasted.

Mets Offensive Highlights:

The game was scoreless through 3.5 innings, as Ruben Tejada and Ike Davis got a rally started in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back singles. With one out, Daniel Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to deliver the first run of the ballgame. In the seventh, Jordany Valdespin doubled, then moved to third on a wild pitch, allowing Andres Torres to drive him in with his own sacrifice fly. Yup, that was it; David Wright and Scott Hairstonalso got base hits, but as a team, they were only able to get six knocks, and didn’t draw a walk. They went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, stranding 3 runners.

Rockies Offensive Highlights:

Colorado was silent at the plate until they busted out for a four-run 6th inning. DJ LeMahieu and Jonathan Herrera singled to lead things off, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Chacin. However, a throwing error from Young allowed LeMahieu to score the first run, but it gets worse. Charlie Blackmon singled on a softly hit ball to Tejada, allowing another run to score. Dexter Fowler singled in Chacin, and Ramon Hernandez hit a sacrifice fly to cap the rally. The Rockies put together some insurance runs, starting with an eighth inning RBI single from Fowler, and Andrew Brown scored in the 9th as Herrera reached on a fielder’s choice from the grounder he hit to Ike Davis.

Pitching Highlights:

In his first start coming off the disabled list, Jhoulys Chacin did what he couldn’t do before his injury, as he threw 6 innings, giving up 1 run on 4 hits, no walks, and 2 strikeouts. After Matt Reynolds gave up a run in his inning of work, Josh Roenicke, Matt Belisle, and Rex Brothers kept the Mets scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Chris Young drops to 3-7 on the year, and despite a solid effort on the mound, it was his throwing error that helped spark the 6th-inning rally. He threw 7 innings and gave up 4 runs (2 earned), on 5 hits, 1 walk, and 9 strikeouts. Robert Carson and Bobby Parnell both got touched up for a run each, and Josh Edgin came into pitch the last out of the 9th as well.

The loss drops the Mets to 57-66, an even 20 games out in the NL East, and 10 games back of the Wild Card. They are tied with the Phillies for second-to-last place, their lowest point in the season. They are now 9 games under .500, their lowest point in the last three years.

Probable Pitchers Wednesday:

Despite all the losing that’s happening, the home fans will be happy to watch Matt Harvey (2-3, 300 ERA) on the mound tonight, as he takes on Jeff Francis (4-4, 6.07 ERA). Let’s see if the Mets can make him look like a Cy Young candidate as well. First pitch in Flushing is set for 7:10pm.