BALTIMORE — The Mets lost their lead twice in one day.
After a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Brandon Waddell avoided a bases-loaded situation during his first career start, but Baltimore’s Alex Jackson hit an RBI double in his first season at-bat. 2024 All-Star Jordan Westburg pushed Baltimore ahead with a 413-foot home run in the second inning, a lead they maintained.
The Orioles scored four more runs off the Mets’ bullpen, defeating New York 7-3 at Camden Yards to sweep the doubleheader and secure their only series of the season. The Mets are now 1-5 in doubleheaders and below .500 in interleague play in 2025.
Westburg’s home run was the Orioles’ second go-ahead shot of the day after Gunnar Henderson hit a pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning of the first game.
New York (53-41) entered Thursday having allowed the fewest home runs this season, but they’ve struggled in July, allowing 17, second only to the Yankees.
Injuries to starting pitchers have impacted New York. Sean Manaea, who was 12-6 last season with a 3.47 ERA, hasn’t pitched due to a strained oblique. Kodai Senga started 7-3 with a 1.47 ERA but hasn’t played since June 12 due to a hamstring injury.
The Mets were 45-24 when Senga was injured and have gone 8-16 since. However, Senga and Manaea are expected to pitch this weekend in Kansas City, providing New York with a mostly healthy rotation before the All-Star break.
Tylor Megill, who performed well in April before struggling, was moved to the 60-day injured list with elbow inflammation. Paul Blackburn has been out with a right shoulder impingement since late June after a 7.71 ERA over six games.
It’s unlikely either would start with a healthy roster.
Waddell allowed three runs in three innings. After a bullpen collapse in the opening game following All-Star David Peterson’s strong performance, the Mets’ bullpen faltered again.
New York allowed two runs in the fifth inning, the latter due to Brett Baty’s error at third base. The Orioles scored two more runs in the sixth inning. Justin Hagenman, Richard Lovelady, and Rico Garcia—none of whom pitched more than 13 innings for the Mets—relieved Waddell.
Meanwhile, New York’s offense struggled against a team with the worst ERA and most home runs allowed in the American League. Starter Tomoyuki Sugano, with a 6.20 ERA in June, allowed six runs in his first July start. He managed four hits and three walks in six strong innings against the Mets.
New York, which had the second-most runs in the NL in July, scored just four runs across the two games on Thursday. The Mets haven’t won a road series since June 6-8 against the Colorado Rockies, a team over 50 games below .500.
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