Mets drop finale to Angels for first series loss since June

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The first hint Sunday afternoon that a 3-2 loss to the Angels would not go the Mets’ way came in the top of the first inning after Francisco Lindor — via a walk, stolen base and throwing error — wound up on third base with one out.

For any team at about any point in the game, that is a must-score situation. For the Mets, in a high-stress playoff race with a less-than-steamrolling offense, with their top two sluggers due up, facing one of the statistically worst pitchers in the majors, it somehow was even more so.

But third base is where Lindor remained, baking under a hot Southern California sun for all of seven pitches before the inning ended. J.D. Martinez struck out looking on a pitch that might’ve just nipped the outside edge of the strike zone. Pete Alonso grounded out — hard, but an out nonetheless.

This was only the second series loss for the Mets in their past 18, a stretch dating to late May. The other: an end-of-June set with the Astros.

“Look, you always want to put pressure right away,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We had an opportunity there. In the eighth, we had another opportunity. Throughout the game, we had runners on and didn’t get the big hit. That’s going to happen at times.”

Brandon Nimmo said: “It definitely is nice to jump out to an early lead, make it 1-0 real quick, put the pressure on them. But sometimes it doesn’t work out.”

That proved representative of the day — and weekend — endured by the Mets (58-53).

In the finale, they went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven men on base.

In the three-game series, they were 6-for-35 (.171) in those spots and left 27 runners on. That is one per inning.

Martinez and Alonso again combined to waste a two-on, one-out spot in the fifth. Lindor’s long foul ball down the rightfield line in the seventh initially was ruled a tying home run, but the call was changed. Mark Vientos grounded into a double play to end the eighth.

“We were always just one swing away the whole game,” said Nimmo, adding: “J.D.’s done a great job for us. We wouldn’t be in this position without him.”

Los Angeles’ Griffin Canning, a righthander who entered with a 5.25 ERA that ranked second-worst in the majors among qualified pitchers, held the Mets to two runs (one earned) in five innings. He struck out eight and allowed three hits and four walks.

Lefthander Jose Quintana grinded through five innings, allowing three runs, three hits and four walks (plus a hit batter).

Quintana battled a high pitch count beginning in the first inning, when the Angels (49-63) swung at none of his first 14 pitches. All were reasonable choices based on the locations of those pitches.

“It’s frustrating when physically it feels great but it’s so hard to command the ball, especially breaking balls, landing it for strikes,” Quintana said. “I figured it out later, but it was a battle.”

At several points, he appeared close to completely unraveling, which would’ve put Mendoza and his bullpen management in a difficult position at a particularly bad time. But each time, Quintana held on.

“He found a way and gave us a chance on a day when it was a struggle for him,” Mendoza said.

Next up is the most inconvenient leg of travel in recent memory for the Mets: a one-day stay in St. Louis, a makeup of a May 8 rainout (which could’ve been played on what turned out to be a mostly sunny day there).

“This is not ideal at all. But it’s the card we’re dealt,” Nimmo said. “You got to make the best of the situation. There’s no question that going to St. Louis for one game, crossing two time zones and then coming back to Colorado and crossing another time zone within 24, 48 hours is not ideal. But it is what it is.

“The Cardinals are in the wild-card hunt, too, so they’re not going to care what our travel is. They’re going to try to beat us. We have to show up ready to go. You can make all the excuses you want, but ultimately you got to try to win at the end of the day.”

Notes & quotes: Injured relievers Reed Garrett (allowed three runs and retired one of six batters) and Sean Reid-Foley (walked three batters and retired two) struggled in rehab appearances for Double-A Binghamton on Sunday. Mendoza said the Mets could get both back this week . . . Starling Marte headed to Port St. Lucie, Florida, to continue his comeback from a right knee bone bruise. He hopes to begin a rehab assignment this week; Mendoza said that is only a maybe . . . Dedniel Nunez (right forearm strain) has resumed playing catch. He’s still a couple of weeks away.

By Tim Healey

timothy.healey@newsday.com@timbhealey

Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.