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After last night's explosion, the Mets offense caught some shut-eye in Cincinnati.
The Mets and Reds continue to play out their two disappointing campaigns to the 2013 season today as Great American Ball Park celebrated German Heritage Day. Dillon Gee was opposite Jhonny Cueto in the second game of this three game series. Terry Collins trotted out the same group that put fourteen runs on the board last night but the offense was nowhere to be found as they were unable to manage more than a single run against Cueto and the Reds' bullpen. The Mets lost 2-1.
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After a scoreless opening frame despite logging two hits, the Mets picked up where they left off last night and got to the Reds early with a run in the second. Jhonny Cueto threw a hanging slider to Travis d'Arnaud who nearly deposited it over the center field wall but instead settled for a lead off double. Curtis Granderson followed up with a productive ground out that advanced d'Arnaud to third base. With one out the young Dilson Herrera logged his seventh run batted in with a single up the middle to put the Mets out in front. Wilmer Flores then rocketed a double down the left field line to put two runners in scoring position but Dillon Gee and Juan Lagares were unable to do any further damage at the plate with Cueto on the ropes. This would be the only run scoring inning of the game for the Mets.
Despite the run in the second, the game as a whole took on a sleepy outlook. Gee was in cruise control for the first five innings, something he has not done much of this season, and it was nice to see him not having to wriggle out of any jams in the early going of this outing.
After a shaky first couple of innings, Cueto began to mow down the Mets' hitters. The reds ace retired thirteen straight after the Flores double before finally walking Lucas Duda with two outs in the sixth. It was that walk which led to more trouble for Cueto, though, as d'Arnaud hit his second double of the game to put two runners in scoring position with Granderson up. Cueto elected to pitch around Granderson and face Herrera with the bases loaded. The gamble paid off for Cueto as he was able to strike Herrera out and keep the Mets off the board. This would prove a huge out as the Reds would not be kept off the scoreboard for much longer.
In the bottom of the sixth, Todd Frazier, who has been hitting the ball extremely hard of late, was determined to not allow his team to be shut out. With one out and nobody on, the New Jersey product launched a solo home run out to dead center to tie the game at one.
The Frazier home run additionally allowed Cueto off the hook for the loss. After retiring the Mets in order in the seventh, Cueto's day was done with a final line of seven innings, six hits, one run, two walks, and eigth strikeouts.
Gee was unable to escape the seventh inning unscathed either as he relinquished the lead in short order. After getting the first two hitters out, Chris Heisey came up to pinch hit for Cueto. He pulled a line drive home run which screamed out of the park to the left field stands and put his team in the lead 2-1.
Cincinnati would send their set-up man Jumbo Diaz out in the eighth to protect their one run lead. After striking out both Matt den Dekker and David Wright to open the frame, and with Lucas Duda due up, the Reds chose to bring in Aroldis Chapman to face the left-handed batter in an attempt to earn a four out save. The Cuban struck out Duda to combine with Diaz to strike out the side.
After Dana Eveland kept the Reds scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, the Mets made it interesting in the top of the ninth.
With one out, Curtis Granderson was able to get aboard via a single. Eric Young pinch-ran for him and stole second with Herrera up. Chapman suddenly couldn't find the plate and walked Herrera putting runners on first and second with just one out. The Mets then attempted a double steal which initially appeared to be brilliantly executed but Cincinnati challenged the ruling at third and upon closer review Eric Young was unable to keep his foot on the bag and called out. Flores maintained his composure and worked a very tough walk against Chapman after fouling off several pitches. Eric Campbell came out as a pinch-hitter and promptly struck out to end the game.
The Mets will run out Zack Wheeler tomorrow afternoon and look to finish up this road trip winning the series before heading home to Flushing.
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Win Probability Added
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Big winners: Curtis Granderson, 6.4%; Wilmer Flores, 4.9%
Big losers: Eric Campbell, -13.2%; Matt den Dekker, -12.7%
Teh aw3s0mest play: Dilson Herrera RBI single, second inning
Teh sux0rest play: Chris Heisey solo home run, seventh inning
Total pitcher WPA: -0.6%
Total batter WPA: -49.4%
GWRBI!: Chris Heisey solo home run, seventh inning