Punchless 0-4 club punches ticket to worst start since 2005
NEW YORK — The Detroit Tigers failed to record a baserunner before the fifth inning, a hit before the sixth inning or a run before the 10th inning Monday night against the Mets.
Yet they were still the superior offense at Citi Field.
The Mets remained punchless at the plate and unraveled on defense during a sloppy, 5-0 loss in extra innings, dropping them to 0-4 in their worst start to a season since 2005.
The go-ahead run came in the top of the 10th when, with one out and runners on the corners, Mets second baseman Joey Wendle booted a Cole Keith ground ball that allowed automatic runner Spencer Torkelson to score.
“Tried to turn a ball that wasn’t a [double-play] ball into a [double-play] ball,” said Wendle, who was making his Mets debut. “I’ve got to get at least one out there, obviously. There’s no excuse for that, and it cost us in a big way.”
On the next play, Mets reliever Michael Tonkin failed to field a Gio Urshela comebacker that shortstop Francisco Lindor had a chance to turn into a double play. The misplay extended an inning in which former Mets infielder Javier Baez added a sacrifice fly and Carson Kelly crushed a back-breaking, three-run home run with two outs.
Boos rained down as the game slipped away. All five runs were unearned.
“We’ll get better,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’ve got some elite defenders, and right now we’re just obviously not making plays, and it’s costing us runs.”
The Mets repeatedly squandered chances to avoid extra innings. Tigers starter Reese Olson held them scoreless for 5.2 innings. The Mets stranded Francisco Alvarez at second base in the sixth inning, then failed to score after the leadoff hitters got on base in the seventh and eighth.
Brandon Nimmo, Lindor and Pete Alonso – the top three batters in the Mets’ order – went a combined 0-for-11. Nimmo and Lindor are both hitting .063 this season.
It’s the third time in four games the Mets scored one run or fewer. The Milwaukee Brewers held the Mets to one run on one hit on Opening Day and one run in Sunday’s loss, which completed a season-opening three-game sweep.
“We just haven’t found our footing,” Lindor said after Monday’s loss. “Everybody shows up early, has batting practice, studies. We’re well prepared. The coaching staff is preparing us. We know what we’ve got to do. We just haven’t executed.”
Monday’s offensive impotency wasted a stellar Mets debut by starting pitcher Sean Manaea, who retired the first 12 batters and lost a no-hitter with two outs in the sixth. Manaea, who signed a two-year, $28 million contract in January, struck out eight Tigers over six scoreless innings.
Mets closer Edwin Diaz, meanwhile, struck out two during a scoreless ninth inning, marking his second appearance since missing all of 2023 with a torn patellar tendon.