PHILADELPHIA — The Mets had been with out their beginning pitcher after simply two innings in opposition to the Phillies, spelling catastrophe for the bullpen to cowl the remaining seven frames. Despite David Peterson carrying the load, his sturdy effort in aid went from a turning level to a spoiled efficiency.
Taijuan Walker exited his first begin of the 12 months after two excellent innings with what the Mets are calling proper shoulder irritation. Then Peterson, who entered within the third, ate the center innings and dominated the Phillies lineup. But it wasn’t sufficient. For the second-straight day, an unsightly eighth inning and a late rally sealed a Mets loss.
Once Trevor May turned the second Mets pitcher on Monday night time to go away his outing with a bodily situation, the bullpen couldn’t cease the bleeding. J.T. Realmuto cranked a two-run house run off left-hander Joely Rodriguez. Then Rhys Hoskins and Didi Gregorius collected back-to-back RBI doubles to finish a five-run rally and hand the Mets a 5-4 loss within the sequence opener at Citizens Bank Park.
Peterson’s 4 scoreless innings had been, at the very least, one shiny spot of Monday’s bullpen meltdown. The left-hander threw 4 scoreless innings and allowed simply three hits in opposition to a troublesome Philly lineup. Peterson struck out leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber each occasions he confronted him, stifling one of many largest threats within the Phillies order. The southpaw escaped a jam within the fourth, with runners on first and second, due to a key double play and spectacular protection from second baseman Luis Guillorme.
It was all arising roses for Peterson, who seemed like a distinct pitcher than the Mets noticed final 12 months.
But the identical couldn’t be mentioned for May, who took the ball from Peterson within the seventh. He stored the Phillies off the scoreboard in a single inning of labor, however Mets supervisor Buck Showalter requested May to pitch yet another, one thing the right-hander by no means did in 2021. After strolling his first batter of the eighth, May left the sport with an obvious harm.
The sudden bout of shoulder irritation is a troubling improvement for Walker, who additionally had an early exit from his final begin of spring with proper knee soreness. It’s doable Walker, whereas attempting to not put weight on his knee, wound up placing an excessive amount of strain on his arm, resulting in that ache popping up in his pitching shoulder. But shoulder and arm accidents are by no means signal.
Shoulder points apart, Walker’s stuff seemed terrific on Monday as he retired all six batters he confronted, together with strikeouts to Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos and Didi Gregorius. Walker went to his splitter nearly simply as a lot as he used his fastball and slider. It labored, as Phillies hitters swung and whiffed in any respect seven splitters Walker supplied on Monday.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com