Inconsistency returns in Mets' 11-inning loss amid playoff push

NEW YORK -- If the Mets want to return to the postseason, they need to beat teams like the Nationals, who have one of the worst winning percentages in the Major Leagues. But the clubs’ latest matchup turned out to be a dour day for New York on Saturday evening at Citi Field.

New York’s defense, which has been inconsistent all season, reared its head in a 5-3 loss to the Nationals in 11 innings.

With the score tied, 3-3, in the 11th and Mets reliever Tyler Rogers on the mound, Daylen Lile hit a fly ball to deep left-center field. It looked like Cedric Mullins may have a bead on it, but the ball went over his head and bounced towards right field for a two-run inside-the-park homer. Per Statcast, Lile’s home run was blown in 10 feet by wind, preventing an over-the-wall home run.

As for Lile, he loves playing in a hostile atmosphere like Citi Field, where he circled the bases in 14.86 seconds.

"I just love playing in environments like this because I just want to show what I'm capable of doing,” Lile said. “I feel like the confidence is just growing each and every day because I'm just getting more comfortable."

Some wondered if Mets closer Edwin Díaz should have pitched a second inning. He threw seven pitches in the 10th -- all strikes. But, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, Díaz pitched Thursday against the Padres and threw in the bullpen the next day (Friday) before entering the game on Saturday.

PJ Poulin managed to retire the side in the bottom of the 11th as the Mets lost their 75th game of the season and are one game ahead of the Reds for the third and final spot in the Wild Card race. The Reds defeated the Cubs, 6-3, at Great American Ball Park.

Early in the game, it was a comedy of errors that saw the Mets fall behind. Rookie sensation Nolan McLean made his seventh start of the season and he got off to a slow start in the early going. However, it wasn't all his fault that he was down by three runs after two innings.

McLean started the first frame by walking James Wood, who advanced on a wild pitch. After Josh Bell singled to put runners on first and third, Lile hit into a force play, but Wood scored on the play.

The second inning saw New York make defensive miscues. After Dylan Crews reached base on an infield single, Riley Adams followed and singled to right field, but the ball went under Juan Soto’s glove and that allowed Crews to score and Adams to advance all the way to third base.

Brady House was the next hitter and he hit a routine groundball to first baseman Pete Alonso, who then made a bad toss to McLean which allowed House to reach base. With Wood at the plate, McLean threw a wild pitch and that allowed Adams to score the third run of the game.

“Look, we’ve been inconsistent. We go through stretches where we make plays and we go through stretches [where the errors happen],” Mendoza said. "We don’t have too much time. The one thing we could do here is turn the page and we have a [1:40 pm ET game] tomorrow. Even though we didn’t play a clean game early, the guys battled back and we were in a position to win right there. We didn’t do it.”

After scoring 12 runs on Friday, the Mets had problems touching home plate. They went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position until the bottom of the eighth. With runners on second and third and closer Jose A. Ferrer on the mound, pinch-hitter Mark Vientos doubled down the left-field line, scoring Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte.

An inning later, Ferrer was still in the game and the Mets managed to even the score. With runners on first and second, Soto hit a bloop single, sending pinch-runner Jose Siri home. But Ferrer managed to wiggle his way out of danger by striking out Nimmo and Marte to end the threat.

“[Ferrer] made pitches,” Mendoza said. “I thought we had some really good at-bats. We had that momentum there. But you take your chances of putting the ball in play. Ferrer got [Nimmo] right at that time. He got Marte with two outs.”