Verlander falters, Mets lose to Astros
After winning their first game against the Astros in ages last night, the Mets dropped the middle game of their series in Houston in relatively uninspiring fashion. They lost 4-2, which doesn’t sound that bad, but they were never really in the game from the jump.
The game felt that way because Framber Valdez spun five perfect innings and notched an out in the sixth before the Mets got their first baserunner of the night. By then, the Astros had scored three runs off Justin Verlander, all of which came in the third inning. Jose Altuve started things with a sac fly in that frame, and Alex Bregman launched a two-run home run to plate the other two.
Obviously, that was enough for the Astros to hold the lead the rest of the way, but the Mets finally broke through for some offense against Valdez in the top of the eighth, which saw Mark Canha plate a run on a sac fly and Eduardo Escobar drive in the team’s second and final run on a single.
While the Mets got the tying run to the plate against Astros closer Ryan Pressly in the ninth, they did not score.
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Win Probability Added
What’s WPA?
Big Mets winner: none
Big Mets loser: Justin Verlander, -13.8% WPA
Mets pitchers: -12.5% WPA
Mets hitters: -37.5% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Alex Bregman hits a two-run home run in the third, -17.9% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Francisco Alvarez doubles in the top of the eighth, +6.6% WPA
Source: Amazin' Avenue
