NEW YORK -- Ever since the Trade Deadline came and went, the Mets’ revised bullpen showed it could be tough against hitters.
Entering Sunday’s action, New York’s relievers had combined for a 2.89 ERA since Aug. 4, which ranked fifth-best in the Major Leagues. But in the series finale against the Astros at Citi Field, New York's 'pen had problems in a 6-3 loss.
Mets left-hander Zac Thornton left the game after five innings with New York holding a 3-2 lead. Right-hander Jonathan Pintaro entered in the sixth and was able to get two quick outs. Yainer Diaz was the third hitter in the frame and was behind in the count, 0-2, when he doubled down the right-field line.
“[Pintaro] probably got too much of the plate,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said.
Pinch-hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. followed Diaz, swung at an 0-1 pitch and hit the ball over the right-field wall for a two-run homer to give Houston a one-run advantage. Entering Sunday, Pintaro wasn’t bad against left-handed hitters, who were 6-for-28 (.214) against him this season.
An inning later, things got ugly. Left-hander Jefry Yan allowed two more runs (one earned). He was able to induce a leadoff groundout from Yordan Alvarez. But then Yan walked Isaac Paredes, allowed a single to Jose Altuve and hit Christian Walker with a pitch to load the bases.
Daulton Varsho was next and grounded out to first baseman Jared Young, who stepped on first for the second out of the inning. But Young rushed his throw home as he tried to get Paredes at the plate for the third out. The ball went past catcher Luis Torrens for an error, which allowed both Paredes and Altuve to score.
“We’ve lived in a world where the bullpen hasn’t given up hardly any runs for a long period of time -- at least when we had a lead -- and that’s what we want.” Green said. “Pintaro has the capacity to get lefties out consistently. He left a pitch to Wade he didn’t want to. Pintaro paid the price on that one.
“It was not all on Yan. You get Alvarez to start the inning, which is why Yan is in there. … Young tried to make a hero's play, but it brought in the last two runs. Not a play we want to see happen.”
Thornton did enough in his attempt to win his fourth game of the season, allowing two runs. After a slow start in the first two frames, he retired nine of the last 11 hitters he faced.
“I thought the last three innings, I did a good job of dealing with the breaking stuff and was able to get quicker outs,” Thornton said.
Even more impressive was that Thornton held Alvarez hitless in three at-bats, which included a strikeout in the first inning. Alvarez is arguably the best hitter in the American League and has a chance to win the Triple Crown.
“I stuck to the game plan,” Thornton said. “There were a lot of sinkers in and soft away. I thought I executed the game plan to him.”