Mets fail with runners in scoring position in loss to Dodgers

LOS ANGELES – The opportunity struck, but the Mets dozed off on the couch without answering the door.

In their painful attempt to score points, there is a list of reasons for the Mets’ repeated failure. On Saturday the wheel landed on “horrible with runners in scoring position,” sending the Mets to their eighth loss in nine games, 4-3 against the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.

The Mets went 0-9 with runners in scoring position, although they tied the Dodgers in hits (with eight) and managed to hit two homers. It was the third loss in four games since team owner Steve Cohen tweeted in frustration on Wednesday, ranting against his “unproductive” hitters.

There was no more missed opportunity that day than in the fifth inning, when JD Davis struck out with goals loaded against Max Scherzer. But the Mets also had scoring opportunities in the first, fourth and ninth innings that went unanswered.

“We just can’t finish what we’re starting and it has happened a lot,” manager Luis Rojas said.

In their final attempt, Jeff McNeill and Pete Aonso successively knocked out Kenley Jansen in the ninth to wrap up the game with a potential equalizer at second. The Mets fell three games below the 0.500 mark and were 6½ lengths of the Braves in the NL East at the start of Saturday night’s action.

Alonso’s third homer of the road trip, a two-point shot in the seventh, brought the Mets down to 4-3. McNeil walked on a walk with two strikeouts – the second in a row for the free-falling second baseman in the game – before Alonso broke through the left-field fence for the No.28 Homer this season.

Brandon Nimmo’s two-strike homerun in the fifth gave the Mets their first point. This was followed, however, by a missed opportunity against Scherzer: After the Mets loaded the bases, Davis struck on Scherzer’s 103rd and final pitch of the day, a fastpitch at 96 mph. It was the second straight disappointment with goals loaded for Davis, who struck out in the eighth inning on Friday night in a one-point loss.

“It seems like we’re having a harder time putting together big hits, it breaks you down a bit,” Nimmo said. “Pete was obviously a huge success today, but it looks like these games are taking a little more than one – we have to go two or three times in games in an important situation and that really didn’t happen. lately. . “

Rich Hill gave the Mets five innings, in which he allowed three earned runs on six hits and two strikeouts. In six appearances since arriving from the Rays on the trade deadline, the southpaw has posted a 6.23 ERA. He hasn’t recorded any outings beyond the fifth inning since June 29, while continuing to pitch for Tampa Bay.

Hill, facing the team he pitched for from 2016 to 2019, allowed Trea Turner and Albert Pujols’ solo homers to put the Mets in a 2-0 hole. In the fourth, Chris Taylor went deep with two strikeouts for the Dodgers’ third solo homerun of the game. Hill, who was taken out after 71 shots, said he would have preferred to stay in the game.

“I threw the ball well, but unfortunately I gave up all three homers,” said Hill. “But I want to stay in the game, always.”

The Dodgers added a run in the sixth against Miguel Castro, who produced three straight hitters in the inning, including Taylor with bases loaded. Jeurys Familia got three strikeouts in the heat without any other point scoring. But the Mets finished scoring after Alonso’s home run in seventh.

“It’s really difficult because a few weeks ago we were in first place and we felt really good,” said Nimmo. “We knew a tough section was coming, but we were confident in what we had. It certainly has not been easy.