Mets bullpen surrenders late homer in loss to Reds to snap winning streak
Pete Alonso’s thunder resurrected the Mets on Friday, but the recurring nightmare of the second half of this season was about to surface.
Grant Hartwig, a scuffling middle reliever who has contributed in recent weeks to the team’s bullpen woes, surrendered a two-run homer to Jonathan India in the seventh inning and the Mets never recovered in a 5-3 loss to the Reds at Citi Field.
The underwhelming group in the bullpen has also included Drew Smith, Jeff Brigham and Sam Coonrod, among others.
“It’s a work in progress,” manager Buck Showalter said after the Mets had a three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 11 games under .500.
Alonso launched his 45th homer of the season, a three-run blast in the sixth inning that tied the score at 3-3 before Hartwig’s sweeper to India with a runner aboard in the seventh disappeared over the left-field fence.
David Peterson allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on six hits and two walks over 5 ²/₃ innings and matched a career high with 10 strikeouts.
The Reds scored an unearned run against Peterson in the fifth.
Noelvi Marte singled, then reached third base after Harrison Bader’s one-out grounder went off Ronny Mauricio’s chest at third for an error, before Peterson unloaded a wild pitch to bring in the first run.
Bader advanced from first-to-third on the play after Omar Narvaez was charged with a throwing error to Peterson covering the plate.
But Peterson recovered to strike out Luke Maile and India to escape.
Jeff McNeil’s double leading off the fifth gave the Mets their first hit against Hunter Greene.
McNeil reached third base on Mauricio’s fly out, but was left stranded as Rafael Ortega struck out and Mark Vientos grounded out to end the inning.
Spencer Steer’s two-run homer in the sixth placed the Mets in a 3-0 hole.
Nick Senzel reached on an infield single to begin the inning before Steer cleared the center-field fence for the 15th homer allowed by Peterson in 100 innings this season.
Alonso homered in the bottom of the inning following singles by Brandon Nimmo and DJ Stewart.
Hartwig, however, plunked Maile with a pitch leading off the seventh before India’s homer put the Reds ahead 5-3.
Alexis Diaz recorded a five-out save for the Reds, retiring Alonso and McNeil on fly balls to center field with the tying runs on base in the eighth before working a scoreless ninth.
Diaz’s older brother Edwin, who is rehabbing from knee surgery and hasn’t pitched this season for the Mets, watched from the dugout.
Alexis Diaz has pitched to a 2.10 ERA with 37 saves for the Reds.
“It does remind you of what we had before and hopefully will again,” Showalter said.
