When Pete Alonso sent a shot that hit the top of the left-field wall and went over for a two-run home run in the seventh inning, the Mets found themselves in a familiar position with an opportunity for redemption.
The home run brought the Mets within a run during a stretch in which they had lost four of their last eight games by one run. The Mets have failed to notch the clutch at-bat, collect the timely hit and do anything else in important moments to swing these contests their way.
Alonso's home run off Blake Treinen provided the Mets with another chance in a tight game.
Two innings later, the Mets whiffed once again as Kenley Jansen struck out Alonso to hand the Mets a 4-3 loss. The Mets stranded the tying run, who reached to lead off the top of the ninth, at second base.
The Mets, who fell to 60-63, have lost four one-run games to the Dodgers in the last eight days. They haven't beaten the Dodgers in six tries. They'll have another opportunity on Sunday.
Mets whiff on early scoring opportunities
During this recent stretch, you've probably noticed something: While the Mets might fail to win these tight games because of missed opportunities late in games, they're often only in those positions because they squander scoring chances earlier in games.
That occurred on Saturday, namely in the fifth inning when J.D. Davis struck out with the bases loaded and the Mets trailing by only two runs.
With two outs, Brandon Nimmo cranked a solo home run off Max Scherzer to right field for the Mets' first run. His teammates, however, were not done.
Jeff McNeil snapped an 0-for-10 stretch with a double, then Scherzer hit Alonso before walking Michael Conforto.
That brought up Davis, who swung through the first pitch before taking two balls. Eventually, on the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Davis swung through a fastball right down the middle.
Davis has had six at-bats with the bases loaded this season.
He's struck out in all six.
This was not the only missed opportunity, though. The Mets had men on base in all five innings against Scherzer. The leadoff man reached in each of the first three innings.
Rich Hill settles in against former team
On a familiar mound against faces he knows, Rich Hill's outing began in the worst way.
The 41-year-old lefty served up two solo home runs three batters into his start. These put the Mets in an immediate hole, which was sub-optimal considering their offense's recent ineptitude.
Had you known this, you might've thought Hill would've pitched poorly. But no. He rebounded to finish five innings and only allowed another solo home run.
Trea Turner, one Dodgers trade deadline acquisition, muscled Hill's second pitch out of the ballpark. It hit the top of the left-field wall, just above left fielder Dominic Smith, and went over.
Two batters later, 41-year-old Albert Pujols parked one in the right-center field bleachers.
When Hill exited after pitching the fifth, the Mets were in the game. In their current state, that's all they can ask.
