For the second time this season, Luis Severino flirted with a no-hitter. And for the second time this season, the Mets would spoil his outing. Closer Edwin Diaz allowed the San Francisco Giants to score the tying run in the bottom of the ninth, blowing his fourth save of the year, and right-hander Sean Reid-Foley was charged with five runs (none earned) in the 10th inning of the Mets’ 7-2 loss on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field.
Severino carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and Brett Baty and Starling Marte each hit home runs, with Baty slugging the go-ahead shot off right-hander Sean Hjelle in the bottom of the seventh to break a 1-1 tie. But the Mets are 2-4 when tied after eight innings and all that comeback magic they had in the first month of season is gone.
In the top of the 10th, right-hander Sean Reid-Foley (1-2) gave up an RBI single to Brett Wisley and things continued to devolve from there. Luis Matos scored and Thairo Estrada reached on an error to load the bases with no outs. He issued a bases-loaded walk to Patrick Bailey, who hit a ninth-inning grand slam to doom the Mets one night prior.
With the Mets trailing 4-2, Reid-Foley got two more outs before the Mets replaced him with left-hander Josh Walker, who gave up a bases-clearing triple to Mike Yastrzemski.
It was the fourth straight loss for the Mets (21-30). They continue to sink even lower in May, having won only six games in the month (6-16).
Severino turned in an ace-like performance with seven strong innings before turning the ball over to set-up man Adam Ottavino and Diaz. It would have been exactly what the Mets envisioned before the season, but Diaz is still struggling to find himself.
The closer had lost his confidence and lost some of the life on his fastball as of late and the Mets didn’t use him for six days. When they finally did, they used him in a low-leverage spot with a three-run lead in Friday’s series-opener. Reed Garrett would eventually blow that lead, but Diaz said he came away from his Friday outing feeling more like the closer from 2022 than the one in 2024 who has already blown three saves and given up five home runs.
It was enough to convince manager Carlos Mendoza that his closer was back.
But a leadoff single by former Mets infielder Wilmer Flores and a stolen base by pinch-runner Ryan McKenna put a runner in scoring position with two outs. LaMonte Wade Jr. got two fastballs, including one over the plate, and lined it to right field, allowing McKenna to score.
Marte gunned down Wade at second base, preventing further damage. Baty then made a tough throw across the diamond and Pete Alonso made a tough pick at first base to get Curt Casali, which ended the inning.
Marte put the Mets on the board in the second with his sixth homer of the season off right-hander Jordan Hicks. The Mets held a 1-0 lead until the top of the sixth when the Giants (27-26) pushed one across the board.
Severino got the first out before Brett Wisely broke up his no-hit bid with a single to left field. Matos then walked and Estrada reached on a force-out, putting runners on the corners with only one out.
Bailey lined one to left to score Wisley and tie the game at 1-1. The catcher/DH has driven in six runs in two games against the Mets this weekend.
Baty, who has struggled to hit this month and hasn’t started since Monday night in Cleveland, took a 0-1 knuckle curve and drove it over the right field fence. Baty was elated rounding the bases and the Mets’ dugout looked just as excited.
The Mets put runners on the corners in the bottom of the ninth, but Alonso’s fly ball landed in the glove of McKenna for the third out. They never had a chance in the 10th.
The elation lasted as long as the lead did.
