Mets’ Comeback Falls Short After Baltimore Bombs Quintana, Lose 9-5

Earl Weaver, the late Baltimore Orioles legendary manager, is credited with saying momentum is tomorrow’s starting pitcher. Coming off the Francisco Alvarez walk-off home run, the Mets had momentum entering Tuesday night. A poor start from Jose Quintana proved Weaver right again.

Quintana was rocked for seven earned runs in five innings—he gave up a pair of home runs, a triple and two doubles—and the Orioles beat the Mets 9-5 at Citi Field. It was the second-most runs the lefty had surrendered this season—he was touched for eight runs in Tampa on May 3.

Trailing 7-1 in the eighth inning, Brandon Nimmo doubled in a run and J.D. Martinez followed with a three-run homer to make it 7-5 and chase reliever Burch Smith, who got just one out and gave up four runs. Yennier Cano entered and retired Pete Alonso and Harrison Bader.

The Orioles added two insurance runs in the ninth, scoring twice on a single to left when Nimmo, after nearly making a one-handed running catch on a ball blooped in front of him, threw the ball away trying to nail a runner at home. Pitcher Danny Young, who backed up the bad throw by Nimmo, then also threw the ball away trying to throw out a man at third, allowing that runner to score as well. Nimmo and Young were each charged with errors.

In Atlanta, the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-1, dropping the Mets 2.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot.

The Orioles (74-53) opened the scoring when Anthony Santander hit his 37th homer, a two-run shot, in the first inning.

Nimmo nearly made a spectacular running/juggling catch at the wall in left-center field in the second inning. After a long run, the ball popped out of his glove, hit his hand-glove-hand again and then he caught it. The play was called an out on the field, but on replay review, it was ruled that the ball made contact with the wall in between the juggling act and Colton Cowser had himself a triple. He scored on a James McCann sacrifice fly to give the O’s a 3-0 lead.

New York (65-61) got a run back on a Mark Vientos double in the third. But the Orioles answered with a run in the fourth when Cowser scored from second on an infield single. Ramón Urías dribbled a ball up the first-base line and Quintana and Alvarez both went after it. Alvarez got to it, but didn’t field it cleanly and with the ball loose a heads-up Cowser scored with no one covering home. McCann then belted a two-run homer to make it 6-1.

It was the fifth time Quintana had given up at least two home runs in a game. He had given up at least two homers in a game only five times in his previous three seasons.

There is good news for the Mets. Tomorrow’s starting pitcher is Sean Manaea. New York has won in four of his last five starts.

Stat of the Game

Alvarez caught Austin Slater stealing. It was the first runner caught with Quintana on the mound. Base stealers are 6-for-7 against him.

Player of the Game

Lindor was 2-for-4 with two doubles (32) and a run scored. He has reached base safely in 19 consecutive games.

On Deck

Manaea (9-5, 3.46 ERA) will try to win the rubber game in a 1:10 p.m. ET start at Citi Field. In two career starts vs. Baltimore as a member of the Oakland A’s, Manaea was 0-1 with a 16.88 ERA. The Orioles starter is TBD. The game will air on SNY and MLB Network.

The post Mets’ Comeback Falls Short After Baltimore Bombs Quintana, Lose 9-5 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.