 dropped four games back of Milwaukee for the second NL wild card with eight games left. The Brewers played last-place Pittsburgh later Saturday.''That was a bonehead mistake,'' said Frazier, a former Red. ''I thought it was foul. I remember doing that once when I was younger and telling myself, `Always play it through.' That cost us one and maybe two runs. That's on me.'' Pinch-hitter Christian Colon's two-out single off Seth Lugo broke an eighth-inning tie. New York's last 14 batters were retired in order, and the Mets went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, including four strikeouts in two innings with runners in scoring position.''That one hurts,'' Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. ''We had multiple chances.'' Cincinnati took a 2-0 lead in the first against Zack Wheeler on RBI infield singles by Jose Iglesias and Aristides Aquino. After a leadoff single and a walk, Frazier allowed Eugenio Suarez's potential double-play grounder to bounce off his glove for an error, loading the bases with no outs.Aquino followed with his chopper, a ball that appeared to be foul but was ruled fair by third base umpire Mark Ripperger. One out later, Iglesias singled to drive in the second run.Wheeler hit an RBI grounder in the third after Frazier's double off the center-field wall, and the Mets tied the score in the fourth when Brandon Nimmo allowed Anthony DeSclafani's pitch to hit the protective gear on his right arm.With the score 2-2, Justin Wilson (4-2) walked Iglesias with one out in the eighth and Jose Peraza blooped a single to right. Seth Lugo relieved and struck out pinch-hitter Curt Casali, and Colon grounded a curveball up the middle.''The Mets gave me a chance after I left Atlanta,'' said Colon, a former Met. ''Those guys over there probably hate me now, but I have a lot of love for those guys. It comes full circle.'' Joel Kuhnel (1-0), a 24-year-old right-hander who made his big league debut last month, got the final out of the eighth for his first major league win. Raisel Iglesias struck out Robinson Cano, Wilson Ramos and Michael Conforto in order for his 34th save in 39 chances.At 73-82, Cincinnati assured its first season with fewer than 90 losses since 2014.A day after hitting his 50th homer, Mets rookie Pete Alonso went 0 for 4 and stranded the bases loaded in the fifth when he struck out, right after Jeff McNeil took a called third strike. McNeil and Nimmo also struck out in the third, stranding a runner on third base,Wheeler, eligible for free agency after the World Series, allowed one earned run in seven innings for the third straight start, the last two without a decision. He gave up seven hits.DeSclafani yielded two runs - one earned - and three hits in six innings.BUG PROBLEMSOF Jeff VanMeter was scratched from Bell's original starting lineup with flu-like symptoms. VanMeter, INF Freddy Galvis, RHP Kevin Gausman and Robert Stephenson and RHP-OF Michael Lorenzen all were sent home due to feeling ill.FEELING AT HOMEA group of Mets fans in the left field corner of the field level seats wore blue T-shirts with ''Queens City'' written in orange on the chest. Cincinnati's nickname is ''The Queen City.'' FAKEOUTAmir Garrett was hit on a foot by Jeff McNeil's sharp one-hopper with one out in the eighth inning. Garrett recovered in time to throw out McNeil, then was removed after a visit from Bell and a trainer. After acting like he needed support to get off the field, Garrett smiled at teammates on the bench and sprinted to the dugout.TRAINER'S ROOMMets: 1B Dominic Smith will rejoin the team in New York on Monday and is available to be activated if needed. Smith has been out since July 27 with a stress reaction in his left foot.Reds: OF Nick Senzel will have surgery next week to repair the torn labrum in his right shoulder. Manager David Bell is confident Senzel will be ready for opening day. ... Brian O'Grady left after three innings after being shaken up while banging into the center field fence trying to track down Amed Rosario's third-inning double.UP NEXTMets: RHP Marcus Stroman (9-13) was moved up a day and will start Sunday because manager Mickey Callaway thinks he matches up better against the Reds than Miami. LHP Steven Matz will start the series opener against the Marlins.Reds: RHP Trevor Bauer (11-12) will make his first career start against the Mets. Bauer's eight innings in 3-1 win at Arizona on Sunday were the most his nine starts for Cincinnati.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Alonso focused on team goal as Mets visit RedsFLMPete Alonso became only the second player to hit 50 homers in his rookie season Friday night.But putting his achievement into context will have to take a back seat to trying to lead the New York Mets into the playoffs.Alonso and the Mets will look to continue their uphill climb in the National League wild-card race Saturday afternoon when they visit the Cincinnati Reds in the middle game of a three-game series.Zack Wheeler (11-7, 4.09 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for the Mets against the Reds' Anthony DeSclafani (9-9, 3.93) in a battle of right-handers.The Mets maintained their flickering playoff hopes Friday night when Alonso hit his milestone homer, a two-run shot in the eighth inning, in an 8-1 win. With the victory, New York (80-73) remained 3 1/2 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the race for the NL's second wild card.The Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.Alonso is two homers shy of tying the rookie record, set by the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge in 2017. But Alonso's attention remains riveted on the unlikely playoff push being mounted by the Mets, who were tied for the second-worst record in the NL entering the All-Star Break."We're trying to win games and trying to sneak into the playoffs here," Alonso told reporters Friday night. "We still have an opportunity to make something great happen."So (50 homers) means the world to me, but I don't think I'm going to have the ultimate appreciation for it until I can kind of sit back after the season, whenever that is." DeSclafani will hope to experience a little more good fortune than he did in his most recent start as he tries to nudge Alonso and the Mets a little closer to the reflective stage.The Reds made the wrong kind of history Sept. 14, when DeSclafani struck out five over seven innings and took perhaps the hardest-luck loss in memory in a 1-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who won the game despite having just one baserunner. Nick Ahmed led off the third inning with a triple and scored on Jarrod Dyson's sacrifice fly.The Reds were the first team since at least 1900 to lose a nine-inning game in which only one baserunner was allowed." 'Disco' was outstanding tonight," Reds manager David Bell told reporters after the game. "You can't do any more than what he did tonight." DeSclafani has allowed one run or fewer in four of his last six starts, a span in which he has recorded a 2.13 ERA to lower his overall ERA from 4.51 to 3.93.Wheeler, meanwhile, has allowed one run in each of his last four starts, a span in which he has posted a 1.44 ERA to lower his overall ERA from 4.52 to 4.09. He didn't factor into the decision last Sunday, when he gave up six hits and struck out nine over seven innings as the Mets fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers.DeSclafani is 0-3 with a 6.74 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Mets. Wheeler is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts against the Reds.--Field Level Media
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