BATS STAYING SILENT
Mets stumble again vs Nats as losses start to add up
They have prepared and given effort, taken extra swings. There is film work, studying the opposition. And after all of that, manager Terry Collins was able to pinpoint just what has bedeviled the Mets. “We’re just not hitting,” Collins said. Don’t you just hate those complicated, technical explanations.
That was the case again Saturday for the Mets, again without Yoenis Cespedes, engaging in a game where a 2-0 count felt like a dramatic rally. Held hitless for five innings by lefty Gio Gonzalez, who works Citi Field like he owns the joint, the again short-handed Mets managed just two singles and lost to the Nationals, 3-1, suffering their seventh loss in eight games.
“Just haven’t caught a lot of momentum yet. Obviously, we’re banged up, but it’s something we can endure,” Jay Bruce said. “We have a good group of guys, good group of veterans. Not a lot of panic in us. It is April, but it’s not going to be April soon. We need to start playing well and we will. There’s no panic. It’s definitely not
lack of effort, lack of preparation.”
Lack of hitting, lack of runs, yes. Lack of the other stuff, no.
Gonzalez (2-0) worked into the seventh surrendering just sixth-inning singles by Juan Lagares and Asdrubal Cabrera. He also gave up one run and three walks while striking out six. The Mets put just three runners in scoring position and had Cespedes on the bench for a second straight game with a sore left hamstring. The victory lifted Gonzalez’s record at Citi Field to 9-1, his career mark against the Mets to 12-5.
“We aren’t over-swinging and we aren’t striking out and teams that hit homers, strike out,” Collins said. “We’re putting the ball in play. We’re just not putting good swings on it necessarily.
“When you get beat 3-1 and you think you got blown out, that’s not good. Our pitching staff has kept us in games and we’re just not giving them any help.”
The latest to sue for lack of run support was Jacob deGrom (0-1), who struggled with command, walking six with 10 strikeouts and giving up the three runs. DeGrom, who was pushed back a day from his scheduled start Friday because of a stiff neck, didn’t see the end of the sixth inning. “I was having a hard time getting the ball down. Walking six guys never helps,” said deGrom, who walked just four in his first three starts com
bined. DeGrom showed no evidence of any discomfort out of the gate. He struck out three in the first inning, working around a walk to Bryce Harper, who walked three times, once intentionally.
By the time the Mets got a hit, they trailed 3-0. Lagares singled in the sixth after pinch-hitter Jose Reyes coaxed a leadoff walk. One-out later, Cabrera, back in the starting lineup after a breather Friday night when he pinch hit only because of a sore hamstring, singled to center scoring Reyes. But Gonzalez struck out the next two.
The Nationals struck in the fourth. Harper walked and out later, the previously slumping Daniel Murphy singled to right. A walk loaded the bases before Matt Wieters singled to right to score Harper and make it 1-0. Murphy was waved home but was thrown out by Curtis Granderson.
Washington made 3-0 in the fifth. Doubles by Adam Eaton and Trea Turner scored one run. After Harper was intentionally walked, Ryan Zimmerman sent a laser single to right. Turner slid home, barely beating Michael Conforto’s throw to make it 3-0.
Murphy had been in an 0-of-12 funk on the Washington road trip and was 1-of-20 since an April 14 walk-off double.
“Murphy spoiled you guys. Nobody hits forever, that’s how I look at it,” Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. “And if he says nothing’s wrong, then nothing’s wrong. He spoiled us all. Sometimes you don’t hit.”
Especially if you’re the Mets.