Call reversal, long balls cost Mets in loss to Reds
Mets' Eric Campbell, right, strikes out against Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning to end a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, in Cincinnati. Catcher Brayan Pena walks to the mound. Credit: AP / Al Behrman
The box score will show that Aroldis Chapman recorded his 30th save Saturday. But it should go to Reds manager Bryan Price, who asked for a review that short-circuited the Mets' best chance to rally in the ninth inning of a bitter 2-1 loss.
With one out against a reeling Chapman, the Mets appeared to pull off a daring double steal, putting the tying run just 90 feet away in the form of pinch runner Eric Young Jr. But Young briefly came off the bag after completing his pop-up slide. Reds third baseman Kristopher Negron was alert enough to keep his glove planted on Young's thigh.
Though Young was initially ruled safe, Price came jogging out of the dugout to ask for a review. One minute, 24 seconds later, the play was overturned and the Reds were on the way to a win.
Chapman's struggles were stunning after the way he began his outing.
In the eighth inning, the fans at Great American Ballpark came to their feet, eager to watch the outcome of a mismatch. At first that's exactly how it all played out.
Summoned with two outs and a one-run lead, Chapman finished off lefthanded slugger Lucas Duda with a 101-mph fastball. But in the ninth, Curtis Granderson lined a one-out single and Young swiped second base.
Chapman followed with a walk of Dilson Herrera, which set the table for the double steal.
The review wiped Young off the bases, and though Wilmer Flores worked a walk, pinch hitter Eric Campbell struck out to end the game.
In earning the victory, Reds righthander Johnny Cueto (17-8) allowed one run in seven innings. At one point, he retired 13 straight Mets. The only damage off him came in the second inning, when Herrera's RBI single scored Travis d'Arnaud.
In the sixth, when Herrera came up with a chance to hurt him again, Cueto reared back and pumped a 95-mph fastball past the 20-year-old rookie. Cueto stranded the bases loaded, holding the score to 1-0.
Mets righthander Dillon Gee had tossed five shutout innings before allowing a game-tying solo home run to Todd Frazier in the sixth inning. Given his struggles late in games, Gee appeared to be a good bet to come out of the game.
Instead, Mets manager Terry Collins stuck with Gee in the seventh inning. The pitcher retired the first two men he faced. But pinch hitter Chris Heisey lined a go-ahead solo shot into the leftfield stands to give the Reds a 2-1 lead.
Gee (6-7) allowed just two runs in seven innings, though he took the loss in perhaps his best start of what has otherwise been a disappointing second half.
