Pitching help is on the way for the Mets, but it can’t come soon enough.
Calling up Denyi Reyes to make a start was always a gamble. There have always been questions about whether or not his stuff could play at the big league level and the Mets thought he possessed the traits to be able to start.
Reyes (0-1) was used as an opener Monday in the first game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves and he put the Mets in a hole right away. The Mets were nearly able to overcome it, coming within one run of tying the game in the sixth inning. But Sean Murphy hit his second home run of the game in the seventh inning off right-hander Jeff Brigham to doom the Mets in a 9-8 loss at Citi Field.
Weather postponements left the Mets’ bullpen in a good spot and they were able to lean on Stephen Nogosek, who was activated from the injured list before the game, to pitch the Mets back into the game after Reyes gave up five earned runs over the first and second innings. He recorded only three outs but he was removed in the second after giving up a two-run homer to former Mets outfielder Kevin Pillar.
He was then replaced by right-hander John Curtiss, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse over the weekend to take the place of left-hander David Peterson on the roster. Curtiss then gave up a home run to Ronald Acuña Jr., before retiring the rest of the side.
Nogosek went 2 2/3 innings in relief, limiting the Braves to only a single hit.
Atlanta spotted Spencer Strider (4-0) a 3-0 lead after Murphy’s first home run, which was also of the three-run variety, in the first inning. The Mets pushed one across the plate in the bottom of the frame but three more runs in the second put them down 6-1.
Pete Alonso hit a three-run shot in the third off Strider in the third to cut the lead to 6-4. It was his 11th of the season and it ties him with Max Muncy for the league lead.
Brett Baty hit his second home run of the season in the sixth off left-hander Dylan Lee to make it 6-5.
But then came Murphy’s second homer. The Mets scored two more in the bottom of the seventh and came within striking distance again in the bottom of the ninth when Eduardo Escobar pinch-hit a home run off left-hander A.J. Minter. The Mets couldn’t complete the comeback and Minter converted the save (six).
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