Joey Ortiz’s grand slam continues Mets implosion, Brewers take doubleheader opener 7-2 | amNewYork

Jul 2, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz (3) hits a grand slam home run against New York Mets relief pitcher Reed Garrett (75) during the sixth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

QUEENS, NY — Reed Garrett allowed five runs to score in the top of the sixth inning, as things keep going from bad to worse for the free-falling New York Mets, who dropped the first game of their double-header to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday afternoon at Citi Field, 7-2.

Joey Ortiz provided the decisive blow with a one-out grand slam in the frame after Garrett initially allowed an inherited runner from starting pitcher Clay Holmes to score to tie the game at two apiece. 

It was one of three home runs hit by the Brewers. Sal Frelick and Isaac Collins added solo shots in the first and seventh innings. 

The Mets (48-38) have now lost 14 of their last 17 games, including four straight after getting swept in Pittsburgh by the lowly Pirates.

The Mets’ offense was equally putrid, continuing their concerning run of late. They mustered just two hits off Brewers pitching, led by starter Freddy Peralta, who went six innings, allowed both runs and both hits, and struck out six. 

New York did not record a hit after Pete Alonso’s RBI single in the fourth inning. The slugging first baseman was the only Met to reach base after that, and he was hit by a pitch in the sixth.

In their last four games, the Mets have been outscored 37-6.

Holmes found himself trailing just two pitches into the game when Frelick jumped on a sinker that stayed up in the zone and deposited it beyond the right-field fence for his sixth home run of the season.

He rebounded well, however, getting through the next four innings unscathed while the Mets snagged him a 2-1 lead thanks to a sacrifice fly by Brett Baty in the third and Alonso’s knock an inning later.

But after walking Christian Yelich and getting Jackson Chourio to fly out in the sixth, Holmes was pulled at 90 pitches for Garrett, who gave up the lead on the very first pitch he threw.

The quick hook proved damning, as Brice Turang ripped a double down the left-field line to score Yelich from first, though Brandon Nimmo appeared to misplay it in the corner.

That run was charged to Holmes, changing his final line to two runs allowed on three hits with four walks and one strikeout in 5.1 innings of work.

Garrett then allowed a single to Collins and walked Jake Bauers before falling behind 3-1 on Ortiz. Garrett left a cutter hanging middle-middle, and the Brewers’ shortstop parked it into the left-field seats to blow the game open.

Collins, who went 4-for-4 and reached base five times, put the exclamation point on Milwaukee’s win with a solo shot in the seventh inning off Brandon Waddell.

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