Saturday’s rain didn’t provide relief for the Mets’ stench.
Left to play a doubleheader Sunday against the equally uninspiring Rockies, manager Carlos Mendoza’s crew flatlined in a 3-1 Game 1 loss at Citi Field that gave the Mets a series defeat.
The Mets, who managed only four hits, took a shot at a late rally, but it fizzled in the eighth. After Juan Soto walked to load the bases with one out, Luis Robert Jr. popped out and Mark Vientos struck out, eliciting boos from the crowd.
The Mets lost for the 14th time in 16 games and had struggling Kodai Senga scheduled to start in the nightcap.
Nolan McLean was removed after five innings in which he allowed two runs, one unearned, on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
The start matched McLean’s shortest of the season — he also went only five innings against the Pirates in his initial outing.
McLean allowed an RBI single to Troy Johnston in the fourth, but the inning could have gotten much worse. With the bases still loaded and nobody out, McLean struck out Kyle Karros before getting Brett Sullivan to hit a soft comebacker that started a 1-2-3 double play. The rally started with two straight singles before TJ Rumfield walked to load the bases.
Tyrone Taylor’s homer leading off the bottom of the fifth tied it 1-1. Jose Quintana had retired 11 straight batters before Taylor cleared the fence in left-center for his second homer this season.
Vientos’ throwing error helped the Rockies score an unearned run in the sixth. Vientos, at first base, fielded Rumfield’s grounder and attempted a throw to second to nail Mickey Moniak. But the throw hit Moniak, leaving the bases loaded and nobody out.
Huascar Brazoban replaced McLean and induced a double play grounder from Johnston, with the run scoring.
Brazoban surrendered an RBI single to Jake McCarthy in the seventh, widening the Mets’ deficit to 3-1. Sullivan’s double started the rally.
Luis Torrens nailed McCarthy attempting to steal second before Jordan Beck reached on a pitch clock violation for ball four. Brazoban retired Edouard Julien for the final out.
