BALTIMORE — The Mets‘ issues hitting with runners in scoring position continue to linger into the summer months. Thursday afternoon at Camden Yards, the Mets had opportunities to increase a one-run lead against the Baltimore Orioles, but came up empty each time, spoiling what was otherwise a stellar outing by left-hander David Peterson.
Right-hander Ryne Stanek relieved Peterson with one on and none out in the bottom of the eight, and served up a two-run home run to pinch-hitter Gunnar Henderson, overtaking the Mets for a 2-1 win Thursday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader.
The Mets went down in order to left-hander closer Felix Bautista (18 saves) in the ninth.
Tyrone Taylor drove in the only run of the game with an RBI double off right-hander Charlie Morton in the top of the fifth inning, his first extra-base hit since June 29, and his first RBI since June 26. It was the only hit with a runner in scoring position for the Mets in the game in 11 tries. Bretty Baty was advantageous on the basepaths after a single, stealing second to put him in position to make it home on Taylor’s line-drive double to right field.
The Mets (53-40), who own the fourth-worst average in baseball with runners in scoring position, had runners on base in the first, third and fifth innings and a runner on second in the sixth when Mark Vientos hit a leadoff double. Morton was solid in those situations, working back from 3-1 on Brett Baty to get him to look at a called strike 3 to end his outing in the sixth inning.
Left-hander Grant Wolfram (1-0) retired the Mets in order in the seventh, and limited them to only a bloop single by Vientos in the eighth. Vientos went 2-for-3, replacing Jesse Winker in the fourth inning after the DH left the game with back tightness, only his second game since being activated off the injured list.
Morton held the Mets to only one run on four hits. He walked three and struck out seven for the Orioles (41-50).
It was an extremely pitch-efficient outing for Peterson. He needed only six pitches in the first inning, getting around a leadoff single by Jackson Holliday. From there, he retired nine straight hitters and 14 of 16. Taylor erased a runner in the fourth, throwing out Jordan Westburg at third base from center field when he tried to go first-to-third on a single by Ramon Laureano.
With Laureano on third and one out, Ramon Urias battled Peterson for 11 pitches before finally lining out to Brandon Nimmo in left field.
The Mets let Peterson go back out for the eighth, but removed him for Stanek (2-5) after Colton Cowser led off with a single. Henderson was sent out to counter the hard-throwing righty setup man, and got ahead 2-1 before sending a slider 400 feet over the right-field scoreboard.
One run was charged to Peterson, who allowed five hits and struck out six in his best showing since his complete-game shutout June 11.
