The Mets offense looked tight, picking up only two hits while striking out 11 times in their 6-0 loss to the Brewers on Saturday night in Milwaukee.
The loss likely means they will have to play in Atlanta on Monday.
Here are the takeaways…
-The Mets offense was the tightest it’s probably been all season. They had trouble putting the ball in play against the Brewers opener and their myriad of relievers. Their best chances to get on the board came in the second when Pete Alonso reached on an error and got to second to start off the inning and in the fifth after a leadoff double by Starling Marte. In both instances, they could not get the run across.
Following Marte’s double, the Brewers retired 12 straight Mets. They went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left three men on base.
If you include Tuesday’s loss to the Braves, the Mets offense is now 0-for-14 in those situations this week. The only two hits came from that Marte double and a Jose Iglesias single — extending his hitting streak to a career-best 19 games.
-After Sean Manaea disappointed with his worst start in two months on Friday, Jose Quintana gave the Mets exactly what they needed. The veteran southpaw was great through three innings, striking out six batters along the way. However, the Brewers got to him in the fourth.
Milwaukee would load the bases, thanks to two walks, when young Joey Ortiz — rookie who came over from the Orioles in the Corbin Burnes deal — hit a two-out bloop single on a 3-2 pitch to put the Brewers up 2-0. Those were the first runs Quintana had allowed in September, ending his career-best scoreless streak at 25 2.3 innings.
After allowing a leadoff double and getting an out, Carlos Mendoza pulled his starter to try and not put his team in a deeper hole. It worked as Phil Maton got out of the inning without giving up a run and putting a bow on Quintana’s night.
Not his best, but it was good enough as Quintana went 4.1 innings (92 pitches/55 strikes) and allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine batters.
-The Mets relievers after Quintana kept the score at 2-0 after Maton’s 1.2 innings and a perfect inning of work from Ryne Stanek but Reed Garrett did not have his control as he allowed two runs to score in the eighth and effectively put the game out of reach. Danny Young allowed two inherited runners to score before the four-run eighth inning mercifully ended.
–Francisco Lindor started his second straight but this time as the team’s DH. Mendoza wanted to give Lindor a day off his feet, and with the struggles of J.D. Martinez and other bench hitters, Lindor is a good option to hit in that spot.
Lindor went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Manning shortstop was Luisangel Acuna. The rookie also went hitless, but he made a great diving play, in the drawn-in infield, with a man on third and one out in the fifth to cut off a grounder and prevent the runner from getting home.
-After the Brewers ran all over Francisco Alvarez in Friday’s game to the tune of six stolen bases, Milwaukee was not as feisty on the bases. The Brew Crew picked up two stolen bases in the second inning and that was it.
Alvarez was held out of Saturday’s game after leaving Friday with back spasms, so perhaps Luis Torrens was the reason or the pitchers got the memo. Torrens went hitless (0-for-2) and Alvarez, who was available off the bench, struck out in his only plate appearance in the eighth. They also stole a base in the eighth with Alvarez behind the plate, which came around to score on a single.
Game MVP: Joey Ortiz
You can probably give this to the entire Brewers pitching staff but Ortiz’s two-run single and the walk with the bases loaded was more than the Brewers needed.
What’s next
The Mets and Brewers face off for the finale of their three-game set on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m.
The Mets and Brewers have yet to announce starters.
