Mets open second half with bad loss to Reds as Alex Carrillo serves up three home runs
Mets reliever Alex Carrillo exits in the sixth inning after giving up three home runs in a loss to Reds at Citi Field on Friday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
In the Mets’ first game after the All-Star break, on the eve of David Wright’s number retirement ceremony, 42,390 fans packed a sold-out Citi Field on Friday night for the club’s series opener against the Reds.
Saturday’s environment should be among the best in Citi Field’s 17-year history, but even though Friday’s game was followed by a fireworks show, the Mets’ weekend opened with a dud, an 8-4 loss to Cincinnati.
The Mets (55-43) strung together a late rally after entering the ninth with an 8-2 deficit, scoring two two-out runs and loading the bases to bring Francisco Lindor to the plate as the tying run. But he popped out to second to end the game.
Sean Manaea pitched a strong four innings but was limited to 69 pitches in his second appearance (and first start) of the season after returning from a right oblique strain (and a minor setback with loose bodies in his elbow) last Sunday.
Manaea exited with the Mets owning a 2-1 lead, but righthander Alex Carrillo, making only his third appearance of the season and first at home, quickly surrendered it. He allowed five earned runs and three homers, walked two and hit a batter in 1 1⁄3 innings, exiting with a 6-2 deficit in the sixth.
“I needed to cover five innings there,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’re giving these guys a look here, and it just didn’t happen today with him.”
Said Carrillo: “The fastball still did its thing, and they just put the bat out there. They’re a good-hitting team. Big-league hitters, they’re going to hit home runs. But when it comes to walks, that’s not acceptable on my half. Yanking the slider a little bit, changeup is staying away and just not competing as I should be.”
Brandon Nimmo hit a two-out double in the ninth to give the Mets their first runner in scoring position and third baserunner since the second.
Reds rightfielder Connor Joe dropped Ronny Mauricio’s ensuing line drive, allowing Nimmo to score. Jeff McNeil walked and pinch hitter Brett Baty reached on an infield single to load the bases. Luis Torrens’ RBI single made it 8-4 before Lindor’s game-ending out.
Manaea, in his first start since Game 6 of the NLCS last Oct. 20, allowed one earned run, one hit and two walks in four innings, striking out six.
Manaea was in an early groove, striking out the first three batters he faced. The lefthander allowed his only hit in the top of the fourth, a leadoff homer by Austin Hays that cut the Mets’ lead to 2-1.
“I want to be out there as long as possible, but I kind of understand the situation we’re in,” Manaea said.
Carrillo (0-1, 13.50 ERA) plunked TJ Friedl with two outs and none on in the fifth and Matt McLain hit a two-run homer to give Cincinnati (51-47) a 3-2 lead.
Mendoza, with a fresh bullpen following the break, opted to send Carrillo out for a second inning in the sixth.
“[We’re] still down one after the fifth inning,” Mendoza said. “I needed to get a couple out of him, so it just didn’t happen today.”
Hays homered to lead off the sixth and extend the Reds’ lead to 4-2. Three batters later, Tyler Stephenson launched a two-run homer to make it 6-2.
After Carrillo issued a one-out walk to Jose Trevino, Mendoza called upon Brandon Waddell, who pitched the final 3 2⁄3 innings.
Elly De La Cruz’s RBI single in the seventh and Hays’ run-scoring walk in the eighth made it 8-2.
Juan Soto, who had four days off after not being selected for the All-Star Game for the first time since 2020, gave the Mets a 1-0 lead with two outs in the first. He drove a 92.8-mph fastball 412 feet to right-centerfield for his 24th homer of the season and third in his last four games.
The Mets made it 2-0 in the second. Nimmo led off with a walk, stole second and scored on McNeil’s one-out single.
However, Reds lefthander Nick Lodolo (7-6, 3.33) retired 17 of the last 19 batters he faced in a smooth seven-inning outing. He allowed two earned runs, four hits and a walk, striking out seven.
“Lodolo did a really good job, so hats off to him,” Lindor said. “He executed his pitches. He got [us] off balance, and then it became a swing competition.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
