David Stearns laid out his teams predicament hours before first pitch. Weve had challenges at times during the course of the year of lining up all phases of our team, . Weve had some really good starts Mark Mulder Jersey where we havent hit. Weve had some days where we strung together really quality at-bats, where we probably havent pitched quite well enough or where weve had defensive lapses that have cost us runs and ultimately cost us games. As if on cue, the Mets went out and showed off strengths that were immediately nullified by weakne ses. Mets pitcher Adam Ottavino mishandles a bunt allowing the tying run during the ninth inning of the Mets 5-2, 10-inning lo s to the Dodgers in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Robert Sabo for NY Post When they pitched brilliantly in Game 1, their defense let them down. They patched up their fielding for Game 2, only for their offense to disappear. Explore More It does not seem to matter how much one aspect of the team stars like Tylor Megill, who threw seven scorele s innings against maybe the best offense in baseball in the matinee because another aspect of the team will dim the brilliance. The free-falling Mets dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the Dodgers in front of 36,021 at Citi Field for a 14th lo s in the past 18 games. Adam Ottavino mishandles a bunt allowing the tying run to score in the Mets 10-inning lo s. Jason Szenes / New York Post Mets pitcher Tylor Megill is fired up after seven scorele s innings against the Dodgers on Tuesday. Robert Sabo for NY Post They are losing games they should win, like the 5-2, 10-inning heartbreaker in the afternoon. Weve got good players in this room, said Jeff McNeil, who spiked his bat after his ninth-inning, two-out, bases-loaded pop-out in the opener. Weve lost a lot of close games I feel like every game weve played has been close. We havent been getting blown out. Unfortunately, were finding ways to lose right now. Francisco Lindor celebrates after belting a two-run homer in the Mets 10-inning lo s. Robert Sabo for NY Post And they are losing the games that they should lose, like the 3-0 nightcap. Jose Quintana was perfectly fine over six, three-run innings, but the Mets finished with three hits and did not reach second base against Gavin Stone and the Dodgers bullpen. The Mets (22-32) are a season-worst 10 games under .500. The only teams with worse records in all of MLB are the Angels, Rockies, Marlins and White Sox. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) reacts to a line out. Robert Sabo for NY Post While some Mets fans booed their team, this fan yelled support up until the final out. Robert Sabo for NY Post In the opener, the Mets looked angry as misplayed balls added up to a lo s. By the end of the night, the Mets looked resigned. At-bats went quickly against Stone, who was dominant over seven innings. I know were better than that, and they know theyre better than that, manager Carlos Mendoza said after his team moved to 3-7 in extra-inning games. Its tough. We want to go out there and perform and were not right now. In a season of long days, Tuesday was especially grueling. The first game set a poor tone that was never righted. Mets pitcher Jose Quintana (L) watches Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Miguel Vargas (C) run towards home after his solo home run in the sixth inning. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Mendozas group was ahead, 2-0, on an early Francisco Lindor homer before Mets defenders forced Reed Garrett and Jake Diekman e sentially to get six outs in the eighth inning. Lindor and Brett Baty couldnt get a handle on a couple potential double-play balls that allowed the Dodgers a chance that they cashed in with a Freddie Freeman RBI single. The Dodgers got the tying run in the top of the ninth, when Mendoza turned to Adam Ottavino and not the struggling Edwin Diaz for a save that was blown. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! With runners on the corners, Chris Taylor tried a squeeze bunt, and Ottavino tried to spear it out of the air. The ball bounced just before his glove and then bounded away from him, allowing the game-tying run. For some reason, we cant make some plays, and that happens, Quintana said in trying to evaluate the teams spiral. Thats part of the game. We know everybody in here is pushing the same way. Dodgers designated hitter Will Smith (R) reacts after being congratulated by teammate Los Angeles Dodgers first base Freddie Freeman (L) after his solo home run. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST The Mets mi sed another chance in the bottom of the inning. They loaded the bases with just one out, and Tyrone Taylor got ahead 3-0 in the count. But Taylor took two strikes then popped out. McNeil followed with his own pop-out and bat-spike, ending the last true threat of the night. Mets second base Jeff McNeil (1) leaves the bases loaded in the ninth inning of Game 1 of Tuesdays doubleheader. Robert Sabo for NY Post In the 10th, Jorge Lopez served up the go-ahead, RBI single to Mookie Betts before Freeman, the perpetual Mets-killer, added a two-run shot that prompted Freddie chants from a Queens crowd that had been overtaken by Dodgers fans. As it turned out, those might have been the loudest cheers for the rest of the night. The Mets offense consisted of three singles in the blink-and-you-mi sed-it nightcap. Mets owner Steve Cohen watches Game 1 from his box at Citi Field. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Before the doubleheader, Stearns suggested he would wait until the deadline for his buy-or-sell decision. The Mets then played as if his decision would be an easy one. I know its not pretty right now, Mendoza said. But at the end of the day, youve got to go out there and get the job done, and were not doing that right now. Walt Weiss Jersey
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