Baty takes blame for loss after error: ‘It was bad’
PHILADELPHIA — Brett Baty didn’t care about the two walks and three runs Josh Walker allowed in the nightmarish eighth inning Sunday or the fact Jeff Brigham hit consecutive batters to force in a pair of runs later in the inning.
The rookie third baseman instead focused solely on his misplay of Alec Bohm’s bases-loaded grounder during the eighth, the one he couldn’t get out of his glove, which helped force an errant throw to Jeff McNeil at second.
McNeil wasn’t able to handle the throw, which went as an error on Baty. A run scored on the play, but more importantly, the Mets failed to get an out on what could have been a double play if everything went right.
“I just couldn’t get it out of my glove,’’ Baty said after the rough 7-6 loss to the Phillies that saw Buck Showalter questioned for his bullpen maneuvers.
“There’s really no excuse,’’ Baty said. “That play needs to be made 10 times out of 10. That cost us the game, it cost us the series [and] it cost us a lot of momentum we had coming in from [Saturday]. It was bad.”
But it’s what the Mets have to live with as players still getting adjusted to the major league level figure the game out in real time.
“He’s a young player,” Showalter said. “He’ll get better.”
Despite Baty’s accountability, what hurt the Mets more than his error was the meltdown of Walker and Brigham, who couldn’t protect a three-run lead.
After the error, which happened on the first batter Brigham faced, the right-hander walked Brandon Marsh to force in another run.
He then struck out pinch-hitter Kody Clemens before drilling Kyle Schwarber with a pitch to tie the game and then hitting Trea Turner with another pitch to give Philadelphia the lead for good.
Baty, who hadn’t made an error since May 23, didn’t want to hear it.
“That [loss] is completely on me,” Baty said. “It’s not on anyone else in here. Everyone battled the entire game and we could’ve gotten one out there and that would have changed the game completely.”
Prior to the game, Showalter was asked about how young players like Baty and Francisco Alvarez can overcome offensive struggles while they are getting accustomed to playing in the majors.
He pointed to good defense as a way to make their presence felt even if they were slumping.
“It’s, ‘How impactful will they be on defense as they figure it out on offense?’’ ’ Showalter said.
“Rookies need to be able to “mentally and emotionally not get too down [during slumps]. You’ve got to be mentally tough with it and play good defense while they figure it out.”
Baty had his third multi-hit game in his past five and scored twice, but it’s the miscue that he’ll take away from the loss.
His defense has been acceptable this season, which is why the Mets felt comfortable trading away Eduardo Escobar to the Angels for a pair of minor league pitching prospects Friday.
But on Sunday, his inexperience played a part in another bad loss.