Max Scherzer allows just 2 ER but Mets still drop second straight against Brewers – The Denver Post

The Mets keep finding ways to lose and they did, yet again, on Thursday at Citi Field.

Brian Anderson’s go-ahead sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning gave the Brewers a 3-2 victory to take the four-game set from Mets. The third baseman’s long flyball to the track in center field off of reliever Dominic Leone ended up being the difference for the Amazins’, who appeared to be in control of the game entering the late innings.

Max Scherzer appeared to be on cruise control before Victor Caratini’s game-tying two-run shot in the top of the sixth wiped away the Mets’ back-to-back homers in the third. Brandon Nimmo and Brett Baty’s third-inning solo homers looked like it would be all Scherzer and the Mets would need.

The 38-year-old put together a quality start tossing six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out nine. He lowered his season ERA to 3.87.

“[I] thought I threw the ball well,” said Scherzer. “Mixed my pitches, threw a lot of curveballs tonight and feel like that was a really good pitch for me. But, anytime we lose by one you always look [at] what could you have done to prevent one extra run from scoring. And you’re always going to look at yourself and what you could of done and it’s unfortunate that, that homer [from Caratini] really kind of flipped the game a little bit.

“I’m accountable for those two runs. You wish you would’ve gotten a zero up there and you never know how things would’ve gone. But that’s baseball.”

The veteran right-hander turned over a tie game to the bullpen, who immediately gave up the lead.

Left-hander T.J. McFarland was the first to come on in relief. He registered just one out while allowing a hit and drilling shortstop Willy Adames with a pitch before Buck Showalter handed the ball over to Leone.

The right-hander surrendered an infield single to Owen Miller just before Anderson’s go-ahead sacrifice fly.

Showalter stayed away from his high-leverage relievers in the seventh, such as Brooks Raley, Adam Ottavino and Drew Smith, hoping to grab some outs with the depth in his bullpen which didn’t go to plan.

The Mets threatened in the bottom of the seventh after giving up the lead as Starling Marte stepped up with the bases loaded and one out. The outfielder grounded into an unassisted 4-3 double play to end the threat letting the boo birds out of their cage as the displeased crowd of 30,282 let the Amazins’ hear it.

Joel Payamps pitched a perfect eighth before handing the ball off to Devin Williams in the ninth. The star reliever got himself into trouble, pitching with the bases loaded and two outs with Marte back at the plate. The outfielder struck out on three pitches. Marte received loud boos from the home crowd as the Mets dropped nine games under .500.

“[Marte’s] not the only one [who might want it too much],” said Showalter. “Starling has got a lot of want-to, it’s not just him. It’s frustrating because there’s a game there to be won. Max pitched well, got some good things done out of the bullpen to keep it close, we hit some balls hard that they caught. …

“[Got] to keep hoping the worms going to change.”

The Mets will welcome in the San Francisco Giants on Friday to begin a weekend three-game set. Carlos Carrasco will take the ball for Showalter toeing off against veteran right-hander Alex Cobb for Gabe Kapler.

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