The Mets fell 8-5 to the Tampa Bay Rays with Wednesday's rubber match at Citi Field, dropping a three-game series in the 2020 season's home finale. >> Box score
Seven takeaways from Wednesday's game
1. RHP Michael Wacha put together a strong start, but suffered an unfortunate blow in the sixth inning. Wacha (1-4, 6.62 ERA) allowed a one-out, two-run home run to Rays LF Randy Arozarena that turned the Mets' 2-2 tie into a 4-2 deficit.
While he rebounded by getting the next two batters out to end his six-inning outing with four strikeouts to zero walks on 66 pitches (45 strikes), Wacha's four runs via six hits (two homers) swung the momentum in the Rays' favor.
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2. After Wacha's exit, RHP Miguel Castro kept the Mets' deficit at two runs. In the seventh inning, Castro (2-1, 3.70 ERA) allowed one hit -- a one-out double to Rays SS Willy Adames -- but ultimately emerged unscathed, striking out while throwing 13 strikes on 19 pitches.
LHP Chasen Shreve, however, dug the Mets' hole deeper with a two-run homer to Rays 2B Brandon Lowe. Shreve (1-0, 3.70 ERA) lasted a third of the eighth inning, getting one out on a strikeout, while allowing the Rays' lead to build after a pair of hits and one walk.
RHP Jeurys Familia (2-0, 4.01 ERA) entered after Shreve. Upon getting RF Hunter Renfroe to ground out, Familia intentionally walked Rays 2B Joey Wendle and Adames singled, bringing Arozarena and building the Rays' 7-2 lead. Familia subsequently walked PH Kevin Kiermaier before striking out C Mike Zunino to end the inning.
3. Facing RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-1, 4.08 ERA), the Mets scratched across a couple of runs but were hurt by a lack of production beyond the long ball. Glasnow yielded two runs via three hits -- two solo shots -- striking out eight and walking one on 76 pitches (53 strikes).
4. SS Andres Gimenez got the Mets on the board with the first of the two solo shots, taking Glasnow deep to right in the second inning. Gimenez, who went 1 for 4, served the Mets' 1-1 equalizer -- his third homer of the season -- after Wendle's solo shot off Wacha earlier in the second inning.
The Rays retook the lead in the third inning on Lowe's first key hit, reaching on a fielder's choice that scored CF Manuel Margot. In the fourth inning, LF Dominic Smith smashed a sky-high shot into the upper-right deck -- his 10th of the season -- but a solo home run only tied the Mets with the Rays at 2-2. Smith went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts.
5. Michael Conforto (hamstring) returned to the two spot, at DH, after a two-game absence but struggled in his return. He went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, initially legging out an infield single in the eighth inning but replay overturned the call on the field. 1B Pete Alonso started with three strikeouts before a double to left in the ninth inning, going 1 for 4.
6. After a rough start in last Friday's 15-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, Matz came out of the bullpen and initially had a solid outing. A two-out home run allowed to Arozarena, however, abruptly killed the potential 1-2-3 inning. Matz (0-5, 9.76 ERA) struck Rays 1B Nate Lowe out to end the inning.
7. Despite a late Rays barrage of home runs, the Mets did not go away quietly in the ninth inning. The Mets had runners on second and third after a leadoff walk by LF Jeff McNeil and Alonso's double, 3B Todd Frazier hit a two-out, three-run homer -- his fifth of the season -- deep to left, trimming the Rays' 8-5 lead. Gimenez struck out to end the game.
What's next
The Mets (25-31) hit the road for their final series of the season, a four-game set against the Washington Nationals (23-33) at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Mets LHP David Peterson (5-2, 3.80 ERA) is projected to face Nationals LHP Patrick Corbin (2-6, 4.76 ERA) at 6:05 p.m. on SNY.