NEW YORK _ Mickey Callaway's growing list of personal managerial milestones gained another Sunday: first loss.
The Mets dropped their series finale with the Cardinals, 5-1, at Citi Field. They missed out on the sweep on a day when Mets pitchers issued as many walks as Mets batters had hits (seven).
Steven Matz set the tone and labored. The left-hander struggled with his pitch count (89 in four innings, with a 17-pitch fourth representing his most efficient frame) and control (three walks). Matz allowed three runs and four hits, including solo home runs from Paul DeJong and Yadier Molina.
It was trouble from the start for Matz, who in a scoreless first walked two batters and threw 26 pitches. He threw fewer pitches but allowed single runs in each of the next three innings.
Matz's short outing pushed Callaway into using all four of the Mets relievers who had not yet gotten into a game: Paul Sewald (two innings), Jacob Rhame (1 2/3 innings), Jerry Blevins (one out) and AJ Ramos (one inning). Sewald and Rhame each allowed a run.
For the Mets' lineup, which was firing on all cylinders in the first two games, it wasn't so much an issue of hitting with runners in scoring position as it was getting runners in scoring position. The Mets had only four at-bats in those situations. Amed Rosario (RBI single in the second) had the only hit, momentarily tying the game.
Juan Lagares, playing for a second straight day after Brandon Nimmo was scratched with flu-like symptoms, went 3-for-4. He was the only Met with multiple hits. Through three games, Mets center fielders have reached nine times in 13 plate appearances.
