Turn the (Calendar) Page

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The Mets went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and still almost pulled it off. It’s time to turn the page to May.

The Mets had Corbin Burnes on the ropes multiple times but only managed one run off of him. In the bottom of the first, Francisco Lindor continued his amazing lead-off ways with a double to right. Walks to Pete Alonso and Mark Vientos loaded the bases with one out. But Starling Marte struck out on a slider, and Jeff McNeil grounded out to the first baseman. The lone run came in the third off the bat of Vientos - a home run to left. With a runner on second and one out, Alonso walked again, but Vientos grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Burnes lasted six innings. 

Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks were held scoreless while Burnes was on the mound. Huascar Brazobán pitched a near flawless two innings as the opener, and then Brandon Waddell in his first MLB appearance in four years was excellent as the bulk guy, throwing four and a third scoreless innings, walking nobody and striking out four. But with one out and nobody on in the top of the seventh, Carlos Mendoza thought it was a good opportunity for Ryne Stanek to right the ship after two brutal outings. Instead, the HMS Bread Boy sank like a stone. He got Gabriel Moreno to ground out to third, but then Lourdes Gurriel Jr. singled to center and Jorge Barrosa doubled to right to move Gurriel Jr. to third. Stanek had pinch hitter Geraldo Perdomo on a two-strike count before Perdomo singled in front of a diving Jeff McNeil in left to score two runs and give Arizona the 2-1 lead. Chris Devanski pitched the eighth with relative ease, but it turned out Mendy stayed with him too long for the ninth: two sacrifice flies made it 4-1 Diamondbacks. 

In the bottom of the ninth, it was soon clear that Diamondbacks closer Justin Martinez didn’t have it - his velo was down and couldn’t get his put-away secondary pitch over. Tyrone Taylor started things off with a solo shot to left. After walks to Lindor and Juan Soto, Diamondbacks manager Torey Luvillo yanked him for sidearmer Ryan Thompson. Thompson hit Alonso with a two-strike pitch to load the bases with nobody out. But then he beared down, striking out Vientos on a slider. Jesse Winker then found himself in another controversy - officially, he hit an RBI ground out to first. Unofficially, the batted ball ricocheted off his foot. It should have been a foul ball, but none of the umpires saw it, and, you guessed it: it wasn’t reviewable. Now with two outs and first base open, Jeff McNeil was intentionally walked. With the bases drunk and two outs, down by one run, Francisco Alvarez quickly found himself in an 0-2 hole. He ultimately grounded out to third. 

It’s hard to complain: the Mets are now 13-2 at home. That’s still…amazing. The bullpen slowly falling apart is a touch concerning though.

Danny Young was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to April 27th, with an elbow sprain. After the game, Mendoza did not rule out Tommy John surgery, which is scary. Chris Devenski was called up from Triple-A to take his place. (Brooks Raley was moved to the 60-day IL to make room for Devo.)  If Brandon Waddell is sent down today, that would leave the Mets without a lefty in their bullpen, which is suboptimal. Or they can DFA Waddell and call up lefty specialist Anthony Gose or something. 

Francisco Alvarez has a new goal: become a better baserunner. Not via stolen bases, but by doing things like going from first to third on singles, or first to home on doubles. This is something the Mets as a team have been doing well so far this season.

Luisangel Acuña busted out of his early season slump by moving closer to the pitching machine during BP. That way he was forced to quicken his bat. 

Marte started over Jesse Winker because, according to Carlos Mendoza, Winker has had trouble with the cutter lately and Burnes is a practitioner of it. 

Paul Blackburn will pitch Friday in Brooklyn. Maybe. Who knows with that guy at this point. 

The immortal Chris Majkowski worked his 5000th consecutive game as the audio engineer on the Met radio broadcast. Incredible dedication. 

The umpiring was…subpar last night. CB Bucknor ruled Tyrone Taylor out even though his hand never left second base. Home plate ump Scott Barry rung up Francisco Alvarez on strike two. 

RHP Joander Suarez was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.

The Triple-A Syracuse Mets were shut out 5-0 in Game 1 of their doubleheader against the Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders (Yankees affiliate). Joey Meneses went 2 for 3 with a double. Dom Hamel got the loss. He allowed four earned runs in as many innings. He only gave up three hits though, walking two and struck out seven. He threw 69 pitches and his current ERA is, you guessed it: 4.20. 

The SMets were shut out in Game 2 as well, this time 2-0. Brandon Sproat the GOAT got the loss. He gave up two earned runs in four and one third innings. He allowed five hits and two walks, striking out four.

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies held on to beat the Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) 3-2. William Lugo went 3 for 4 with a double. In his Double-A debut, Zack Thornton allowed two earned runs in four and a third innings, permitting five hits, walking nobody, and he struck out two. Douglas Orellana got the six-out save, allowing no hits or walks and striking out two.

The High-A Brooklyn Cyclones destroyed the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) 15-1. Jacob Reimer hit not one, not two, but three home runs. Catcher Ronald Hernandez went 4 for 4 with two home runs of his own, plus a stolen base. Joel Díaz got the win. He allowed just one earned run in five innings of work, allowing three hits and zero walks while striking out six. 

The Low-A St. Lucie Mets beat the Palm Beach Cardinals 8-6 in 11 innings. Shortstop Jeremy Rodriguez went 3 for 6. Matt Allan got the start. He threw two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out three.

14 years ago tonight, ‘USA!’ chants broke out at Citizens Bank Park during a Mets/Phillies game. The players didn’t realize until later it was because Osama Bin Laden had been killed. 

The Mets will try again to take the series against Arizona this afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 pm eastern. Kodai Senga (3-1, 1.26 ERA) is scheduled to go for the Mets. The struggling Zac Gallen (1-4, 5.57 ERA) will toe the rubber for the DBacks. The game will air on SNY.