BALTIMORE — Gunnar Henderson’s two-run homer in the eighth off reliever Ryne Stanek led to the Mets’ 3-1 loss to the Orioles in the first game of their Thursday doubleheader at Camden Yards.
O’s starter Charlie Morton, with a 5-0 record and 2.76 ERA in his last 10 appearances, allowed one run over six innings. The Mets (53-40), who scored 23 runs in their last three games, have hit 20 home runs against the 41-year-old, seven more than any other team. Morton’s resurgence continued despite being outdueled for much of the game.
David Peterson held the Orioles scoreless until the eighth. After a Colton Cowser leadoff single, manager Carlos Mendoza replaced him after 90 pitches with Stanek to maintain the one-run lead. Henderson, Stanek’s first batter, hit his first pinch-hit home run, replacing Luis Vázquez.
Henderson’s 400-foot homer and a Ramón Laureano sacrifice fly later secured Baltimore’s two-run win.
Despite no victory, Peterson allowed one earned run for the second straight game in July, following a June 4.55 ERA. He used five pitches against a lineup with a middle-ranking OPS against lefties, striking out six to become the Mets’ 2025 punchout leader. His strong defensive performance was also crucial.
In the fourth inning, Laureano’s single led to Jordan Westburg attempting third base. Tyrone Taylor, New York’s outfield defensive leader, threw out Westburg. Brandon Nimmo’s sliding catch with Laureano on third and two outs kept the game scoreless.
In their next turn, Taylor sparked a Mets breakthrough. The 31-year-old, hitting .138 in his last 25 games, doubled down the right-field line. Brett Baty, after a walk and stolen base, scored easily, giving New York the lead after missed early chances.
In the first inning, Nimmo singled on Morton’s first pitch, followed by a Francisco Lindor walk, and a passed ball put both in scoring position. Morton then relied on his curveball, used 43 times in his last start against the Braves.
Juan Soto and Pete Alonso struck out, and Jesse Winker popped out on the offspeed pitch. Morton used his curveball 50 times, navigating trouble with defensive help.
Vázquez’s diving stop at short in the third robbed Alonso of a single with Lindor in scoring position. In the next frame, Mark Vientos, struggling post-injury, hit a ball Laureano caught at the left-field warning track.
Vientos pinch-hit for Winker, starting at DH, who left due to back tightness in his second appearance since May, recovering from an oblique injury. Vientos had two hits, his first multi-hit game since returning in late May.
Peterson’s defense helped him through the sixth. With one out, he picked off Jackson Holliday with a quick throw. He breezed through the seventh, but the leadoff single the next inning was costly. The Mets’ bullpen, after a comeback win allowing one run over five innings, returned to recent struggles.
Closer Edwin Díaz secured 18 of 19 save opportunities this season. However, the Mets have struggled to find a reliable setup man, as Thursday’s opening game demonstrated.
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