CINCINNATI — The Mets were fundamentally short on pitchers, but they weren’t too limited in their mistakes.
The Mets lost 9-6 to the Reds on Saturday at Great American Ball Park, collapsing in one of the ugliest eighth innings I’ve ever seen, squandering a once three-run lead.
The Mets (2-6) ended a two-game winning streak in a short period of time because of worn out arms in the bullpen and with Johan Ramirez on the mound, everything that could go wrong could go wrong. One reason is that it didn’t happen.
After pitching seven scoreless innings, Ramirez returned for the eighth inning with no end in sight.
The Mets went in one frame up and watched the Reds get past five points with mostly sloppy defense.
In the fateful inning, Jaymar Candelario took the lead with a walk.
Pinch runner Bubba Thompson appeared to steal second base, but was called a balk and got on base.
Ramirez struck out Jake Fraley, but the strikeout jumped over catcher Omar Narvaez, allowing Fraley to lead off and Thompson to triple.
Ramirez also appeared to beat Ellie Delacruz, but his rude check swing sent a soft grounder to the left side.
However, Brett Batty followed Francisco Lindor for a few steps, believing he would grab the ball, and retreated while Lindor scrambled toward second base.
The ball, which traveled over 4 feet before hitting the dirt and was put into play at just 91.5 mph, barreled through the left side for an RBI single to tie the game.
Ramirez couldn’t beat Spencer Steer, who hit a three-run home run over left field in the final minutes of the game, but he couldn’t end the damage.
After two singles and a walk, Christian Encarnacion-Strand loaded the bases for the Reds and added a run on a sacrifice fly.
Harrison Bader’s throw home sailed over cutoff man Pete Alonso, allowing the baserunners to advance, but Ramirez blocked it at second and third base.
By the end of the merciful game, the 11 hits and six runs the Mets mustered were forgotten, but it was a blowout for this struggling offense.
I also couldn’t forget Luis Severino’s strong day in his second start of the season, but he looked much better and looked much more like the Severino of old.
The former Yankee allowed seven hits in five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks.
It was important that Severino bounced back after a rocky debut with the Mets and a difficult 2023 season in the Bronx.
Severino relied the most on his four-seamer, forcing the Reds to retire nine straight from second to fifth and not magnify any mistakes he made in the back.
Cincinnati only scored against Severino in the second inning when Candelario hit what would have been a deep fly to left field, but Tyrone Taylor slipped on the warning track and ended up with a double.
1 out, Candelario was on third base, Dela Cruz grounded out to second base, Jeff McNeil charged the ball and tried to throw it to home plate, but the ball jumped in front of him and scored on a slip and slip up. (This was considered an error).
Severino was solid, but lasted only five innings.
After Thursday’s doubleheader and Jose Quintana’s 5th/3rd inning on Friday, Edwin Diaz, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Lally and Drew Smith were used consecutively and were unavailable.
Coach Carlos Mendoza tried to get by without using his favorite weapons, but Ramirez and the defense couldn’t get the job done.
