Clay Holmes struggled mightily, but the lineup picked him up for a win in the series opener.
When Clay Holmes turned a two-run lead into a three-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth, it sure didn’t feel like the Mets were going to win their series opener in Baltimore. But a coupe of two-run home runs in the eighth inning from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso tied the game, and a Juan Soto single plated the Mets’ seventh run in the top of the tenth. That proved to be the decisive run in the game.
Jackson Holliday had opened the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the third, and the Mets didn’t do very much at the plate through the first five innings of the game. But a Ronny Mauricio solo home run in the top of the sixth got them on the board, and Brandon Nimmo doubled in a run later in the inning to give the Mets the lead.
For what it’s worth, Holmes looked perfectly fine in his first five innings of work, but as has been the case recently, he struggled mightily in the sixth. The Mets will probably have to figure out whether or not he can continue starting this year if he’s going to be that limited in his role as a starting pitcher.
Ultimately, Holmes was charged with five earned runs on seven hits, and he struck out five and walked just one. He’s now the owner of a 3.29 ERA on the season, but he looks like he might not have enough gas in the tank to go deeper in games.
Richard Lovelady was the first reliever out of the Mets’ bullpen and recorded a pair of outs without being charged with a run. Unfortunately, Alex Carrillo couldn’t quite keep it a scoreless night for the bullpen, as he served up a solo home run in his major league debut. But he did throw one-and-one-third innings with a strikeout and no walks.
And the rest of the Mets’ bullpen after Carrillo was excellent. Reed Garrett, Edwin Díaz, and Huascar Brazobán each threw a scoreless innings in the eighth, ninth, and Manfred-runner tenth innings, respectively.
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Big Mets winner: Huascar Brazobán, +43.5% WPA
Big Mets loser: Clay Holmes, -43.2% WPA
Mets pitchers: +24.5% WPA
Mets hitters: +25.5% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Pete Alonso ties the game with a two-run home run in the eighth, +30.6% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Ryan O’Hearn hits a two-run double in the sixth, -20.0% WPA