Seen This Type of Loss Too Many Times

With the Mets seemingly in a roll having finally won two games in a row, most thought Bartolo Colon was set to make big league history by not only being the latest pitcher to beat all 30 teams (first done by Al Leiter) and by winning a game in his 39th ballpark. Well, Colon made history, but it had nothing to do with his pitching:

That walk issued by Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray set up a run, but it wouldn’t matter as Colon would give the run right back. 

Colon was hit very hard by the Diamondbacks all night. Colon pitched four innings, nine hits, five runs, two earned, and two walks with one strikeout. 

The three unearned runs came in the first on a T.J. Rivera fielding error off the bat of the leadoff hitter Jean Segura. Technically, the runs were unearned, but it was Colon who was hit very hard that inning. 

Rivera’s error was part of a tough night for him. Not only did he make that error, but he would also help kill a two on, no out, second inning rally by hitting into a double play. On the night, Rivera was 0-4 with a sacrifice fly and a strikeout. 

Rivera wasn’t the only one that abandoned Colon defensively. On a Paul Goldschmidt gapper to right center between Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce in the fourth that Bruce stopped chasing leading to Granderson fielding it which just invited Goldschmidt to go to third. He would score on a Jake Lamb sacrifice fly to make it 5-2. 

It was all part of what was a horrible night for the Mets all around. 

Erik Goeddel pitched in the fifth for his fifth appearance in seven days. He came in despite his arm problems and despite Collins continuously warming up Seth Lugo. Goeddel would be predictably hit hard allowing two runs in the fifth to make it 7-2. Naturally, Collins would then bring on Lugo in the sixth. 
The Mets would have their chance in the seventh loading the bases against the Diamondbacks bullpen with no outs. Randall Delgado quickly got ahead 0-2 against Wilmer Flores, but somehow Flores worked out a walk to make it 8-3. Rivera and Ty Kelly hit a pair of sacrifice flies to make it 8-5. Travis d’Arnaud struck out to end the rally. 

It was the only time d’Arnaud made an out all game. On the night, d’Arnaud was 3-4 with two runs. Each time, he was driven in by Jose Reyes, who also had a terrific night at the plate going 2-4 with two RBI. 

Other than Reyes, the Mets were 1-8 with runners in scoring position with no RBI. It wasn’t enough in a 10-6 Mets loss. 

The failure to hit with runners in scoring position and the Mets failing to beat teams they should beat is a microcosm of the Mets season. 

Game Notes: Neil Walker continued his hot hitting going 3-5 with two runs, an RBI, and a homer.  Flores hit well too against the lefty going 2-3 with a walk and an RBI. He was an adventure at first flat out dropping a ball thrown to him by Walker and almost dropping a throw from d’Arnaud after Hansel Robles struck out a batter. Robles was touched up for two runs on a long Yasmany Tomas two run eighth inning homer. 

Pennant Race: The Marlins beat the Reds 6-3. The Nationals beat the Rockies 5-4. The Cardinals had the night off. 

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