The New York Mets faced a tough loss on Friday night, falling 7-5 to the Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field. The defeat snapped the Mets’ six-game winning streak, leaving fans disappointed after a promising run.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza made some surprising pitching decisions that ultimately backfired. Clay Holmes, who had thrown 79 pitches and allowed only five base runners, was taken out after five innings. This decision proved costly as the Mets’ bullpen struggled in the sixth inning, allowing six runs to the Rays.
Paul Blackburn and Max Kranick took the mound in the sixth. Blackburn, who was scheduled to enter the rotation next week, only managed to get one out while giving up four hits that resulted in four runs. Kranick followed him and allowed two more runs, including a two-run homer by Danny Jansen, which sealed the Mets’ fate.
Despite the pitching woes, the Mets had their chances to win. They went 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left 12 runners on base, a frustrating statistic for a team looking to capitalize on opportunities. Notably, all five runs scored by the Mets were unearned due to defensive errors by the Rays.
The game started on a positive note for the Mets. They tied the game in the fourth inning after Starling Marte’s single and took the lead shortly after. Marte’s two-run single in the fifth inning seemed to give the Mets a solid cushion at 5-1. However, the sixth inning collapse quickly erased that lead.
Holmes had previously been performing well, lowering his ERA to 2.87. However, his recent outings have included a troubling trend of home runs allowed. The Mets’ pitching staff, which had been a strength, showed vulnerability in this game.
As the game progressed, the Mets tried to rally back. They managed to put the tying runs in scoring position in the seventh inning but couldn’t convert. Marte struck out, and Ronny Mauricio ended the game with a strikeout, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
The Mets will need to regroup quickly as they head into their next series against the Atlanta Braves. With Blackburn set to join the rotation, the team will be looking for a bounce-back performance to get back on track.
