ST. LOUIS — Francisco Lindor’s 0-for-4 at the plate Wednesday was maybe the least of his problems.
The Mets shortstop committed a mental error defensively and was later picked off first base in an 11-inning, 2-1 loss to the Cardinals.
Lindor forgot the number of outs in the bottom of the first inning and began to jog off the field after stepping on second base for the force on Alec Burleson’s grounder.
But the force was only the second out, and by not throwing to first, Lindor missed an opportunity to complete an inning-ending double play.
Freddy Peralta escaped the inning by striking out Masyn Winn, throwing five additional pitches in the inning.
“I forgot the outs,” Lindor said. “I made a mistake that probably cost Peralta to go an extra inning and more pitches after that. Inexcusable.”
Lindor reached first base on an error in the sixth and was picked off, caught flat-footed, by Matthew Liberatore.
“They got us there,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He was going to go. We thought we had a tip there and they got us with a quick step-off move there. I wouldn’t consider that one as a mental mistake because he was trying to get some momentum there and being aggressive. But the first one [forgetting the outs] is the one that can’t happen.”
Mendoza said he didn’t need to address the issue with Lindor.
“He knows — he was pretty pissed when he came in,” Mendoza said. “Peralta did a hell of a job picking him up, finishing that inning. But you trust the decision-making with this guy. He knows he made a mistake.”
Peralta credited his changeup — a pitch he didn’t use as much last Thursday — for helping him get on track against the Brewers.
The right-hander allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts on this day, departing after 92 pitches.
“I have got a lot of trust with [the changeup] and I thought it was time to use it today,” Peralta said.
Juan Soto’s homer extended his on-base streak against the Cardinals to 41 games.
