SEATTLE — T-Mobile Park teed off at Mets Park, with the visiting team going home with a crushing defeat on Sunday.
Sure, the Mets avoided a shutout for the first time in three games, but it was a narrow victory. Their first trip to the Pacific Northwest in seven years ended with a 12-1 loss to the Mariners, forcing the Mets to return to New York in search of answers.
The Mets, similar to the team that fell double digits below .500 in May and then fought their way back into playoff contention two months later, went 4-6 on a four-city trip that also visited Anaheim, St. Louis and Colorado.
They are half a game behind Atlanta for the National League’s third wild card spot.
Over a three-day stretch in Seattle, the Mets never looked like they should have been on the same field as the Mariners, losing 22-1 and going 23 straight scoreless innings before Jeff McNeil’s home run in the sixth inning Sunday. They also went 24 straight scoreless innings, including a scoreless ninth inning Thursday at Colorado.
That restructuring will have to wait until Tuesday, when the Mets begin a nine-game homestand against two tough-to-win teams in the Athletics and Marlins. But the Mets (61-57) have played to their matchups in recent weeks, going 5-5 against the Marlins, Angels and Rockies in the three teams they’ve faced since the All-Star break.
Luis Severino has allowed at least four runs in three straight games. The right-hander pitched five innings, allowing four runs on six hits, two walks and eight strikeouts. Severino’s ERA rose to 4.17 after allowing two home runs. Each of his past four starts lasted five innings or less.
Jorge Polanco’s leadoff homer in the second inning gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. With a full count, Severino threw a 98 mph sinker that Polanco sent over the fence in left-center field. Dominic Canzone doubled later in the inning but was called for an out.
A double by Canzone in the top of the fifth inning started the comeback and gave the Mariners a 4–0 lead. Leo Rivas bunted Canzone to third base, and with two outs, Randy Arozarena hit a slow grounder that Francisco Lindor hit barehanded but was dropped while preparing to pitch. Canzone scored on an RBI single, and Cal Lowry hit Severino’s next pitch for a two-run homer. It was the fifth home run Severino had allowed in his past three starts.
McNeil homered with two outs in the sixth inning, ending the team’s 24-inning scoreless streak and putting the Mets up 4–1. McNeil’s homer was his sixth in 22 games since the All-Star break.
Ryne Stanek loaded the bases in the sixth inning and allowed a one-run single to Rivas to extend the Mariners’ lead to 5-1.
Adam Ottavino replaced Stanek with one out and the bases loaded, but Victor Robles hit a slow grounder that was backhanded by McNeil, allowing two more runs.
Before the inning ended, Lawrie hit a three-run homer to put the Mets behind 10-1.
