Mets shut down by Rangers in another loss
The Mets' Francisco Lindor reacts after striking out in the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Citi Field on Tuesday. Credit: Ed Murray
A message for anybody who watched the Mets on Tuesday night and thought they caught a rerun: You are forgiven.
In a 2-1 loss to the Rangers, the Mets wasted another quality start from their pitcher because of a lineup that did little and a bullpen that did just enough to blow it.
This time, Drew Smith allowed a run in the seventh (Mitch Garver go-ahead homer) and Phil Bickford allowed a run in the ninth (Ezequiel Duran RBI single).
Mark Vientos’ homer off Aroldis Chapman with two outs in the ninth was all the Mets mustered offensively.
“We’ve been inconsistent, that’s for sure,” manager Buck Showalter said of the hitting lately.
“The top part of the order is trying sometimes to do too much because we’re struggling at the bottom.”
Smith gave up the long ball just two pitches after replacing lefthander Jose Quintana, who tossed six scoreless innings in which he scattered three hits and three walks. That was a more-than-fine outcome given what he viewed as poor command of his pitches.
The Mets’ bats got shut down by lefthander Andrew Heaney (5 1⁄3 innings, seven strikeouts) and a quartet of relievers. They totaled seven hits, including two from Jeff McNeil.
“He had his way with us,” Showalter said of Heaney.
Vientos’ blast came off a 101-mph sinker from Chapman, the former Yankees closer.
“It felt good just to put a good swing on a good pitch,” said Vientos, three games into his return from the injured list.
“Off of Chapman, too.”
Notes & quotes: The Mets promoted catcher prospect Kevin Parada, a first-round draft pick last year, to Double-A Binghamton. Parada, 22, had a .265/.340/.447 slash line with High-A Binghamton . . . Denyi Reyes will be the Mets’ spot starter Wednesday night for the finale against the Rangers. Kodai Senga’s spot in the rotation was due up, but the Mets will hold off on using him until the weekend as part of their effort to limit his innings.
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.
