J.D. Davis showed some frustration in the Mets' dugout during the middle of the second inning on Wednesday.
Kris Bryant led off the inning by hitting a fly ball to shallow left, and with Davis and Amed Rosario both in the vicinity, the ball fell to the grass for a double. Two batters later, Kyle Schwarber slammed a two-run homer to left, putting the Cubs up 8-1.
"It was supposed to be a ball that was caught," Davis said after the game. "If it was (Rosario) or me, it was supposed to be caught, and it cost us two runs. You can't sugarcoat it. This is a big game for us, big series, and it cost us two runs for a simple play where communication is huge, especially in that situation with rain coming in, fighting it. It is what it is."
And while plays like that helped put the Mets in an early 10-1 hole, the team didn't just pack things up and call it a night.
Instead, they fought and clawed their way back. And though the comeback came up short in the 10-7 loss to the Cubs -- the Mets' fifth straight defeat -- the team showed the very toughness that has brought them back in the Wild Card race to begin with.
"You can take some positives form this, just from being down 10-1 and fighting back to get it to 10-7," said Davis, who homered in the Mets' five-run fifth inning. "We had our chances and their pitchers made good pitches. We kept setting ourselves up and setting the table, and I think that's the positive thing about it. We were doing our job, setting the table, but we just didn't get that one big hit to get us within one run or tie the game."
With the loss, the Mets dropped to 4.0 games behind the Cubs for the second Wild Card spot, and though the series is already lost the Mets know they can make up some ground when Jacob deGrom takes the mound against the Cubs on Thursday.
"It's huge. We've already lost the series. It is what it is. We have to turn the page," said Davis. "Tomorrow is going to be huge."
The Mets are no strangers to having their backs against the wall. Once thought to be completely out of the race in late July, the Mets have proven that they have the talent to be a Wild Card contender, and Mickey Callaway believes his team has what it takes to keep fighting.
"We've been in these situations before. We've risen to the challenge," said Callaway. "I feel like we'll do the same thing. … Whether we win or lose, on a good, hot streak, on a bad streak like we are right now, your focus is on the next day, the next thing. … I think this team does a great job of focusing on the next test at hand.
"We're never going to give up. You saw that tonight."