Mets' Reed Garrett serves up go-ahead grand slam to Patrick Bailey in loss to Giants
New York Mets pitcher Reed Garrett reacts as San Francisco Giants’ Patrick Bailey runs home on his grand slam during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game at Citi Field on Friday, May 24, 2024. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
At 12:36 p.m. on Friday, Mets owner Steve Cohen posted this on X (formerly Twitter):
“Looking forward to our 10-game homestand starting tonight. LGM (Let’s Go Mets). We are experimenting with our new artist series giveaway tomorrow. Enjoy the Joel Mesler created tote bag. Feedback appreciated.”
Oh, boy, did Cohen get feedback.
“Are you kidding me?” one poster wrote. “You’re more concerned about feedback on a giveaway than you are about the terrible on-field product? Unbelievable!”
When another fan posted, “Steve you had to know what kind of feedback you were gonna get here lol,” Cohen replied: “Yes, I knew for sure.”
Cohen surely knows the only thing that is going to placate the ornery Mets fan base is wins, not tote bags. Which is why the 10-game homestand that started with Friday night’s crushing 8-7 loss to the Giants is so vital.
The Mets blew a 6-2 lead in the Giants’ five-run eighth inning en route to their fourth consecutive defeat.
Reed Garrett (5-2, 2.67 ERA) allowed all five runs in the fateful eighth, the last four coming on Patrick Bailey’s two-out grand slam that gave San Francisco a 7-6 lead.
“We played too good to let that happen,” Garrett said. “I didn’t do my job and cost us a win.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza already had used deposed closer Edwin Diaz for a scoreless seventh inning. Adam Ottavino was ready in the bullpen. But Mendoza stayed with Garrett against the switch-hitting Bailey and paid the price when the stunning go-ahead slam on a 2-and-0 pitch settled into the visiting bullpen in right-center.
The Mets have dropped six of seven and nine of 11 and fell to a season-worst eight games below .500 at 21-29.
As Yogi Berra might say, it’s getting late early at Citi Field.
“It’s hard,” Brandon Nimmo said. “You want to win these ballgames . . . because you have no other option. You have to turn it around. Otherwise, the season can get away from you in a hurry.”
Before Garrett’s meltdown, the Mets built a 6-2 lead with the help of solo home runs by J.D. Martinez, Mark Vientos and Pete Alonso.
The Mets have homered three times in three straight games and lost all three games.
Rookie Christian Scott, in his fourth big-league start, was in line for his first win after allowing two runs in six innings. Scott retired his final 12 batters.
Then, in the seventh, trumpets blared as Diaz entered in an unfamiliar inning. He allowed a one-out single but struck out two in his first scoreless inning since May 12.
Alonso added a 391-foot solo shot to left in the seventh. His 12th made it 6-2.
Mike Yastrzemski homered off Jorge Lopez in the ninth to give the Giants an 8-6 lead. That hurt because the Mets scored in the bottom half on Francisco Lindor’s one-out RBI single off the rightfield wall. Alonso followed with a potential game-ending double play ball that was booted by shortstop Marco Luciano for an error, with Lindor moving to third.
Pinch runner Tyrone Taylor stole second, after which the Giants intentionally walked Nimmo to bring up Martinez with the bases loaded against closer Camilo Doval.
Martinez struck out. After getting ahead 3-and-0, Vientos grounded a slow roller to third on 3-and-2. Matt Chapman fielded it barehanded and threw a one-hopper to first that was scooped by LaMonte Wade Jr.
Vientos was out by a stride. The Mets challenged.
Vientos was still out. The Mets lost.
“It’s tough right now, especially losing another one the way we just did,” Mendoza said. “But guys continue to battle. You saw it in that last inning . . . We’re angry. Obviously, we’re angry. Guys are going to be [ticked]. But at the same time, you have to stay positive.”
After the game, Cohen took to X again.
“What a stretch,” he posted. “Mind boggling. I know how disheartening this is for our fans. Ty [thank you] for caring so much.”
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
