Edwin Díaz Blows Four Run Lead in 10-9 Loss

When it rains, it pours. When it’s rock bottom, it’s really rock bottom. Whatever happened on Saturday, was exactly it for the New York Mets. Even after a drastic lineup change and the offense exploded for nine runs, they still couldn’t find a way to win. The reason: the pitching and their closer going through one of his worst stretches of his career and he himself hitting rock bottom. The Mets once again found a way to lose a game they should’ve won in a 10-9 defeat at the hands of the Miami Marlins and losing a series, yes, a series, to the Marlins. Rock Bottom.

The Trumpets Are Flat

Edwin Díaz can say nothing’s wrong. The Mets themselves can say nothing’s wrong. However, over his last several outings, something is clearly wrong with him. Entering the game up 9-5 in a non-save situation, he imploded, once again. Facing the 8-9-1 in the order to begin the bottom of the 9th inning, he gave up a leadoff ground rule double to Vidal Bruján. Two batters later after, Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove him in with an RBI single. 9-6. Bryan De La Cruz reached base on a single, which set up Josh Bell as the tying run. Bell saw a first pitch hanging 90 MPH slider and sent it over the right field wall to tie the game. 

Jorge López gave up the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 1oth. Once again, Díaz blew the game. Again, he gave up a home run. Again, he couldn’t shut the door on a potential Mets win. He’s allowed 11 earned runs in 18 appearances this year. At the scene of his devastating injury last March, Díaz hit rock bottom.

Severino & Garrett Also Couldn’t Hold Marlins

It wasn’t just Díaz. Luis Severino and Reed Garrett also had trouble holding the Marlins offense. Severino was given an early 2-0 lead and couldn’t hold it as Miami tied it at 2-2. New York increased their lead to 7-2 and Severino cruised from the 4th inning to the 6th inning. However, in the 7th inning, Severino lost it. He walked Nick Gordon on four pitches and Otto Lopez would double him in right after. A few batters later, Chisholm drove in Lopez. It was 7-4 and the Mets turned to Garrett to keep it that way. He struggled again giving up a single to De la Cruz and Bell hit an RBI single to cut the Mets lead to 7-5. From Severino to Garrett to Díaz, Mets pitching couldn’t finish the Marlins on Saturday.

New Look Lineup Contributes

In what should’ve been the main story coming out of a what should’ve been Mets win, New York’s offense had one of its best days of the season. After being shutout for the fifth time this year on Friday night, the Mets shook up their lineup by putting Brandon Nimmo in the 3rd spot and Francisco Lindor at leadoff. They came in hot with 15 hits on the day and 9 runs. Lindor, J.D. Martinez, Mark Vientos, Starling Marte, Harrison Bader, and Jeff McNeil all contributed with RBIs. McNeil, Bader, and Martinez had two RBIs on the day and six Mets had multi-hit games (Pete Alonso, Martinez, Vientos, Marte, McNeil, and Nido). For once, the offense had a good day. It’s a shame their efforts were gone to waste.

Player Of The Game: J.D. Martinez

Martinez has turned it on as of late and he continued his hot stretch on Saturday with a two-hit, two RBI performance. He’s given the Mets what they wanted of him as of late since he made his long-awaited debut. 

On Deck

The thing about baseball is you have to pick yourself up and play the next day. The Mets will have to somehow pick themselves on Sunday up after this gut-wrenching, season defining loss. Sean Manaea takes the mound for New York against Sixto Sánchez of the Marlins. The game will be telecast on WPIX at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

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