SEATTLE – A challenging schedule awaited the Mets as they left Queens late Sunday afternoon, and two games into that slide, all is well.
On Tuesday night a combination of ridiculous pitching, poor defense and a mediocre offense sank the Mets to an 8-3 loss to the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. The Mets lost their second straight game to start the road trip.
Gone are the good vibes that accompanied the Mets to the Pacific Northwest after a weekend sweep of the Marlins that extended their winning streak to four games.
The Mariners, with their eighth straight win, are a legitimate threat to win the AL West and the Mets will continue this West Coast sweep in San Diego against a Padres team very much in the NL playoff mix.
Jonah Tong had his first tough game in three games since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse. The right-hander gave up five runs, four earned, on five hits and two walks over 3 ¹/₃ innings in a big relief role.
In all, the Mets gave up three homers on a night when the Mariners built a comfortable cushion in the fifth inning and rolled to the end. The Mets will try to avoid a series sweep Wednesday with Freddy Peralta on the mound.
Among the few Mets hitters was rookie Carson Benge, who hit a two-run home run to continue his recent outburst. But the Mets weren’t strong offensively, following a night where they managed just two hits in a 3-2 loss in 10 innings.
Huascar Brazobán, who served as the opener, worked in the second inning. Dominic Canzone singled before Brazobán took an 0-2 lead on Patrick Wisdom’s count and left a changeup at the plate. Wisdom scored two runs to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead. Colt Emerson doubled to end Brazobán’s night before Tong recorded the final inning.
Benge hit a two-run homer in the third in a 2-2 tie. AJ Ewing doubled in the inning before Benge brought in a two-out double to Logan Gilbert. Leading off the game, Benge took Gilbert to 11 before striking out.
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Two fielding errors by the Mets led to a surprise run by the Mariners in the third. After Marcus Semien fouled Randy Arozarena’s liner into a two-base error — his throw to first base was errant, allowing Arozarena to reach second — Mark Vientos fouled out on Luke Raley’s soft liner. Arozarena scored on an error by Vientos, giving the Mariners a 3-2 lead.
Tong walked JP Crawford to load the bases in the fourth before Julio Rodríguez’s sacrifice bunt extended the Mets’ deficit to 4-2. Tong retired from Arozarena to avoid further damage. Wisdom’s walk and Jhonny Pereda’s single started the rally.
Pereda delivered the gut punch with a three-run homer in the fifth that gave the Mariners a 7-2 lead. The rally started with Young’s grounder off Vientos’ glove – ruled a single – before Canzone singled. With two outs, Tong threw a cutter in the ninth to Pereda that disappeared behind the fence in left-center.
Benge’s second goal of the night closed the gap to 7-3. The multi-homer game was the first of Benge’s career.
AJ Minter, in his first consecutive start since returning from his minor league rehab assignment, worked a scoreless eighth inning. Last night Minter delivered the game winning hit in the 10th inning.
