Mets takeaways from Tuesday’s 5-0 loss to Nationals, including an ineffective Jose Butto and offense
The Mets' offense was shut down behind an ineffective start from Jose Butto as New York fell, 5-0, to the Nationals on Tuesday night.
Here are the takeaways…
- Butto, who was recalled from Syracuse on Tuesday, made the start and after a 1-2-3 first inning, Keibert Ruiz took the right-hander deep to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead in the second. Joey Meneses picked up an RBI single in the third inning to double the Nats' lead.
In the fourth inning, after a one-out walk, Francisco Lindor made an error after the ball fell out of his glove as he tried to make a tag at second. It’s the first error by a Mets infielder this season. After a walk, Butto would get out of the inning unscathed.
Butto wouldn't last much longer, though, as his night ended after getting the first two outs of the fifth inning. He would walk and give up a single before manager Buck Showalter pulled the righty. Jimmy Yacabonis would come on in relief to get the Mets out of the inning.
Butto's final line: 4.2 IP (93 pitches), four hits, two runs, six walks and one strikeout.
- Josiah Gray was on the mound for the Nats and completely dominated the Mets. With a good mix of fastballs and breaking stuff, Gray struck out nine batters. The 25-year-old's final line was: 6 IP (91 pitches), four hits, one walk and those nine Ks.
- The Mets would threaten in the fifth inning after Brett Baty hit a one-out double that hit the right-field line. It was Baty's first extra-base hit this season. Luis Guillorme followed with a pop out and Francisco Alvarez picked up an infield single. A Brandon Nimmo walk loaded the bases for Starling Marte, but the outfielder struck out on a 3-2 cutter out of the zone to end the inning.
- The Nationals would bust the game open in the sixth inning. After a one-out single to Victor Robles, Alex Call would hit a grounder that would have been a double play but Guillorme broke the wrong way to allow the ball to spill into the outfield. Luis Garcia doubled two runs home and Meneses singled a third run in the inning to put the Nats up 5-0.
After getting out of the fifth inning, Yacabonis gave up three runs in the sixth. Yacabonis went two innings, Tommy Hunter pitched a clean 1.1 innings and Adam Ottavino got the last inning to round out the Mets relievers' nights.
The Mets had a total of five hits with Lindor, Alvarez, Baty, Nimmo and Daniel Vogelbach picking up those hits.
Highlights
What’s next
The Mets continue their three-game series against the Nationals on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m.
Kodai Senga will be on the mound for the Mets and he’ll go up against MacKenzie Gore.
