THIS ONE HURTS
Pete exits after plunking, and Mets blow 3-run lead in fifth-straight loss
ATLANTA — Tommy Pham replaced Pete Alonso in the cleanup spot and played the role as cast. However, the rest of the game didn’t go according to the script.
The Mets avoided the worst with Alonso, but failed to avoid the worst in this series. For the second night in a row, the Mets went up by three runs on the Braves before ultimately losing, 7-5.
With two out in the bottom of the eighth, Michael Harris II teed off on Adam Ottavino, sending a two-run homer over the wall to hand the Mets (30-32) their fifth straight loss and their second straight series loss. For the second night in a row, the Mets went up, 4-1, on the Braves (37-24). This time, they went up, 2-0, before Max Scherzer gave up one in the fourth and two in the fifth.
Alonso was removed from the second game of a three-game series against the Braves with what the team is calling a “left wrist contusion,” after he was hit on the left wrist with a 97 MPH fastball by Charlie Morton in the first inning. He left the game to undergo imaging and Pham replaced him in the batting order and went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and three RBI.
The outfielder’s homer off Morton in the fifth momentarily gave the Mets a 4-1 lead and he tied the game with a sac fly in the seventh.
Pham came up with the bases loaded and one out. He stared at the first four pitches from Kirby Yates before fouling one off and working the count full. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Pham launched a towering fly ball toward the right-center field wall. Somehow, Ronald Acuña Jr. came up with the ball with a spectacular leaping catch.
The fly ball scored Brandon Nimmo to tie the game, 5-5.
It remained tied until the eighth. Brooks Raley started the inning and was charged with the loss after his
baserunner scored on Harris’ homer. He was removed after giving up a double to Marcell Ozuna. The Mets played it conservatively by pulling Raley after he gave up hard contact, but it was a gamble to throw Ottavino on back-to-back nights.
A.J. Minter recorded the save with a perfect ninth.
Pham’s two-run blast in the fifth doubled their run total and gave Scherzer some breathing room. But no lead is safe against the Braves. In the bottom of the inning, Sean Murphy hit one of his own to bring thems to within one run.
Atlanta rallied with two outs to score two more in the sixth to chase Scherzer after five earned runs on 11 hits and a season-high 10 strikeouts.
This was Scherzer’s 111th double-digit strikeout game. The veteran right-hander surpassed Roger Clemens for third all-time in double-digit strikeout games, with Randy Johnson (212) and Nolan Ryan (215) still well ahead of the rest of the field.
Right after Scherzer logged that 10th strikeout, the hard hits came. Orlando Arcia doubled off the left-center wall. Harris pulled one to right field to score Arcia and tie the game. Acuña Jr. scored him with a single through the left side.
The one player the Mets could not afford to lose was Alonso. But an absolute nightmare scenario played out during the top of the first when he was hit by a pitch and removed from the game.
With two on and two out, Morton came inside with a 97 MPH fastball and hit Alonso on the inside of his left wrist. The Mets’ first baseman and the league leader in home runs went down in a heap.
However, the injury appears to be minor. Alonso underwent X-rays, which were negative.
Braves fans booed Alonso as he came to the plate to the tune of “Hush Little Baby, Don’t Say a Word” by the organist. The song was a reference to Tuesday night, when Alonso was caught on a dugout camera jawing with Atlanta right-hander Bryce Elder after he homered off of him in the third inning.
Alonso appeared to be saying, “Throw it again!”
Elder didn’t hear it but later told reporters he did not take issue with it. It was gamesmanship for Alonso. The Atlanta fans, however, did take issue: A packed crowed booed Alonso after he was plunked and as he left the field injured as well.