ANAHEIM, Calif. — It was an afternoon of too much “trying” and not enough pitching control for Jose Quintana.
The left-hander has been the team’s best starter since mid-June, but he put runners on base early in Sunday’s game against the Angels and stretched his pitch count.
The best thing that can be said about his performance is that the Mets’ 3-2 loss at Angel Stadium didn’t leave him buried.
Overall, the left-hander allowed three hits, four walks, one hit by pitch and three earned runs in five innings.
“I didn’t throw enough strikes and lost the count too many times,” Quintana said. “I felt something was wrong with my pitching motion and corrected it during the game, but I still gave up two runs. I was in top physical condition, so I’m frustrated that I couldn’t control my curveballs.”
Quintana has a 2.37 ERA in his past nine starts.
That includes a stellar performance in his last appearance, holding the Twins to just one earned run over six innings.
But in Sunday’s game, he gave up two hits, a walk and a wild pitch in the second inning, giving up a 2-0 lead.
In the third inning, Quintana gave up the Angels’ third run on a triple by leadoff batter Zach Neto.
Quintana walked and was hit by pitch in this inning.
“He looked off today,” manager Carlos Mendoza said, “he was in a hurry and felt like his arm wasn’t keeping up, especially with his curveball, but he found a way to pitch five innings.”
For Quintana, the afternoon at least ended well, as he got Nolan Chanuel into an inning-ending double play in the fourth inning and then struck out all three batters he faced in the fifth.
He was replaced after throwing 96 pitches.
“It’s a day where you have to compete no matter what,” Quintana said. “No matter what, you have to fight. Unfortunately, I wasn’t more committed to the match.”
Adam Ottavino, Danny Young and Phil Mutton relieved Quintana and combined for three scoreless innings.
Edwin Diaz was scheduled to pitch in the ninth inning if the Mets tied the game, but the closer hasn’t pitched since Tuesday, when he recorded a four-out save against the Twins.
