If the New York Mets are seeking to improve their draft position next season, their play of late has certainly secured those desires. Facing a talented young starter making his first major league start, the Mets managed two hits. The Washington Nationals’ Brad Peacock blanked them for five innings and the offense, which had four hits in the game, was dormant. As a result, they lost 2-0. It’s their fifth straight loss, and seventh of their past eight games.
The only two hitters to get base knocks against Peacock were Ruben Tejada and Jason Bay, who both managed singles. New York as 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, and their struggles at the plate were heavily magnified in the ninth inning.
Nationals closer Drew Storen couldn’t find the strike zone. He walked Jason Bay, then walked Willie Harris, who was pinch hitting for Justin Satin. But, in my belief, manager Terry Collins made the wrong move, asking Justin Turner to bunt in the next at bat. Even if Turner had gotten the bunt down, I would’ve said it was a bad move: the closer was extremely erratic. Take a few pitches, look fastball in your hot zone, and swing away. Instead, Turner popped his bunt on the third pitch to Storen. It gave Storen some life, and he fired two straight strikes to Jason Pride, before getting him to ground into a fielder’s choice. Jose Reyes followed up with a ball laced into left center field that Rick Ankiel made an unbelievable diving play to end the game.
I understand there’s just under two weeks left in the season, but the Mets have looked extremely lifeless as of late. They’re now tied with the Nats for third place in the NL East.
On the bright side, MIke Pelfrey was excellent in the loss, allowing two unearned runs in seven innings and striking out six. Those two unearned runs came in Wright’s seventh error of his past 10 games.