WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pete Alonso is the engine driving the Mets lineup these days, but what happens when that motor isn’t running?
On Saturday, the team received its latest reminder that Alonso alone won’t suffice in the battle to score runs consistently.
Help is needed.
With the first baseman hitless in his four at-bats, the Mets lost 3-1 to the Athletics at Sutter Health Park, setting up a series rubber game Sunday.
Alonso owns a 1.164 OPS and has delivered several game-changing hits for the Mets over the first 2 ½ weeks.
But Juan Soto has only one homer and four RBIs in his first 14 games with the team, Francisco Lindor has sputtered and the bottom of the Mets lineup has been a black hole.
Brandon Nimmo is bringing power to the lineup — he delivered his fourth homer this season Saturday — but is hitting just .208.
“Right now, Pete is pretty much the one carrying us, but the fact that we are creating traffic and getting guys on base … they will step up,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after the Mets’ second loss in three games. “We have got a good offense and they will come through.”
Saturday’s loss was the Mets’ fifth of the season, and in each they scored two runs or fewer.
J.T. Ginn, a former Mets prospect traded to the A’s for Chris Bassitt before the 2022 season, frustrated his old organization by allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts over 5 ¹/₃ innings.
The right-hander topped out at 97 mph with his fastball.
“Today was one of those days we had good at-bats, but Ginn beat us,” Lindor said.
The Mets sustained a mishap with Jose Siri’s departure from the game in the second inning after he fouled a ball off his left shin.
X-rays were negative, but Siri was on crutches postgame and didn’t rule out the possibility he might need an injured list stint.
“I am in a lot of pain,” Siri said through an interpreter. “It got me right on the bone pretty much, so right now I feel like I don’t have any power in that leg.”
David Peterson gave the Mets six solid innings in which he allowed two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
The left-hander has completed six innings twice this season — the only Mets starting pitcher to get that far in a game.
“It’s been talked about quite a bit, the [lack of] length that we had on that first homestand,” Peterson said. “As starters, that is not really what we’re looking for. We’re kind of talking to each other, making a group decision that we need to pick it up.”
The A’s didn’t hit a ball out of the infield against Peterson until the fourth, when Jacob Wilson stroked a leadoff double and scored the game’s first run on Tyler Soderstrom’s one-out single.
Peterson allowed singles to Shea Langeliers and Miguel Andújar, the latter of which extended the A’s lead to 2-0.
Peterson’s long inning continued as Hayden Senger was called for catcher’s interference with Luis Urías at the plate.
But with the bases loaded, Peterson got Max Muncy to hit an inning-ending grounder.
Nimmo sliced the A’s lead in half with a homer leading off the sixth.
It gave Nimmo a blast in consecutive games, tying him with Alonso for the team lead in homers (four).
Jhonny Pereda delivered an RBI double against José Buttó in the seventh that widened the Mets’ deficit to 3-1.
After the Mets finished 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, Lindor downplayed the idea that Alonso has been alone in carrying the lineup.
“Pete’s the one that has been contributing a lot, but Soto has had good at-bats and Nimmo has got four home runs already. Guys have contributed. It’s just a matter of continue to pass the baton.”
