**QUEENS, NY —** The Mets’ disappointing loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night was a collective failure, and not in a positive way.
After missing a chance to walk off the game by squandering a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the bottom of the ninth, the Mets (63-50) were undone by their defense. Brett Baty’s throwing error led to a two-run 10th inning, allowing the Guardians to secure a 7-6 victory in their series opener at Citi Field.
With ghost runner Daniel Schneeman on second and Jose Ramirez intentionally walked to set up the force, David Fry bunted off reliever Ryan Helsley to Baty at third. Baty’s throw to second was wide, glancing off Francisco Lindor’s glove and allowing Schneeman to score.
Gabriel Arias added an important insurance run for Cleveland with a sacrifice fly.
Baty singled home ghost runner Jeff McNeil in the 10th to bring the Mets within one with two outs, but Luis Torrens flied out, ending the game.
Mets’ star closer Edwin Diaz extended the game by escaping a no-out jam. Brayan Rocchio advanced to third after singling, stealing second, and moving to third on an errant throw by catcher Francisco Alvarez.
Diaz recovered, striking out Kyle Manzardo, inducing a pop-up to short from Steven Kwan, and striking out Schneeman.
The Mets had a chance to win in the bottom of the ninth when Francisco Alvarez’s single, Francisco Lindor’s double, and an intentional walk to Juan Soto loaded the bases with one out. However, Pete Alonso, who drove in four runs and hit his 251st career home run, struck out swinging before Jeff McNeil lined out to second.
Overcoming a 5-0 sixth-inning deficit, Alonso drove in the Mets’ first four runs, including a three-run home run in the sixth that brought him within one of tying Darryl Strawberry’s franchise career home run record of 252, and an RBI single in the eighth to bring New York within one.
His hit in the eighth was the third-straight single of the inning, after hits by Lindor and Soto. With the bases loaded and one out after Jeff McNeil’s single, Mark Vientos’ sacrifice fly tied the game.
Even with no restrictions, Sean Manaea couldn’t end the Mets’ pitching drought. Since June 7, no starting pitcher other than David Peterson has completed six innings.
After five scoreless, two-hit innings on 57 pitches, the veteran was tagged for five runs on five hits in the sixth inning and was pulled with two outs.
The Mets managed just three hits across the first four innings against Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi, then had Cedric Mullins on second with no outs in the fifth, only for Ronny Mauricio to line out, Alvarez to fly out to center, and Brandon Nimmo to strike out.
The Guardians broke through in the sixth off Manaea after a lead-off single to Steven Kwan and hitting Angel Martinez. David Fry and Carlos Santana knocked them in with singles.
Arias widened the gap by hitting his eighth home run of the season into the left-center-field seats.
Sloppy play from the Guardians allowed a Mets comeback. Cecconi struck out Lindor, but a passed ball let him reach first. Soto hit a double play ball, but it slipped under second baseman Brayan Rocchio’s glove.
Alonso hit a first-pitch sinker 388 feet over the left-field fence to bring the Mets within two and himself within one of Strawberry’s record.
The Mets nearly scored the go-ahead run in the two-run eighth, but with Alonso on third and one out, Mullins’ grounder to second was stopped by a diving Rocchio, keeping things tied.
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