WALK THE PLANK
AMAZIN’S FALL IN 10 AS WILD RAMOS IMPLODES
MILWAUKEE — AJ Ramos’ allergic reaction to the strike zone continues to confound the Mets and send the veteran reliever deeper into the abyss.
The right-hander had two chances to extricate the Mets in the 10th inning Friday night, but never approached success. The final frustration was a fastball to Travis Shaw that bounced in front of home plate for ball four, forcing in the winning run in the Mets’ 4-3 loss to the Brewers at Miller Park.
Ramos, who had walked Hernan Perez to load the bases, threw nine pitches, eight of which were balls. In 19 innings pitched this season, Ramos has walked 14 batters.
“I haven’t been doing my job, plain and simple,” said Ramos, a former All-Star closer with the Marlins who has a 5.21 ERA this season. “There’s no excuse, no rhyme or reason, there isn’t anything going on. I just haven’t been very good.
“I am working on it, trying to get better, but as of right now I haven’t been doing the job and that’s just how it is.”
Not wanting to use his closer, Jeurys Familia, on the road in a tie game in extra innings, manager Mickey Callaway banked on Ramos after Jerry Blevins had entered and allowed a single to Christian Yelich to put runners on the corners with two outs.
“[Ramos] is in our bullpen and he’s got to pitch in situations like that,” Callaway said. “Tonight ... obviously he didn’t have it. He didn’t have anything. It hasn’t been like it was tonight, so you have to chalk that up to, man, he just couldn’t get the ball over the plate.”
The Mets (25-22) lost for the third time in four games, this time after mounting a rally with two outs in the ninth that tied it 3-3. But Robert Gsellman, in his second inning of work, allowed a one-out single to Eric Sogard in the 10th to start the winning rally.
Jose Bautista delivered his first big hit with the Mets, a two-out RBI single in the ninth that tied it. Corey Knebel had recorded two quick outs in the inning before suddenly losing control and walking Michael Conforto and Devin Mesoraco in succession. Bautista slammed an RBI single to left for the Mets’ first hit since the sixth inning.
Seth Lugo pitched two scoreless innings in relief, extending his career-high shutout innings streak to 17, keeping the game close for the Mets in the late innings. The right-hander has worked multiple innings in 10 of his 19 outings and has been the Mets’ most valuable pitcher behind Jacob deGrom.
For all his superhero powers, which include throwing a baseball 100 mph, Noah Syndergaard still hasn’t solved the mystery of keeping runners at first base.
The Brewers stole two bases against Syndergaard that contributed significantly to the righthander’s final line.
Both stolen bases, by Lorenzo Cain and Yelich, came in the third inning and led to runs on RBI singles.
“I feel like I have been doing a pretty good job at times,” Syndergaard said. “I didn’t really give Mesoraco a chance to throw guys out based on times and I didn’t give him quality pitches to really handle, so that one is on me.”
Before the game, Callaway noted Syndergaard’s improvement in speeding up his delivery in an attempt to deter runners. Even so, 12 of 14 runners have been successful stealing against Syndergaard this season.
“It’s tough when two singles score runs because of two stolen bases,” Callaway said.
After a shaky beginning, Syndergaard rallied and got through six innings in which he surrendered three earned runs on six hits with eight strikeouts. He was removed at 78 pitches for a pinch hitter, Bautista, in the seventh inning.
“I started focusing on executing my pitches as opposed to worrying about mechanics and trying to be too fine,” Syndergaard said. “I just focused on being free and easy and it paid off in the end.”