Game #25: Marlins 2, Mets 1

It got to the point where I was yelling at the MLB.tv: "Just throw a wild pitch so we can all go home!" Suffice it to say, I got my wish.

Jeremy Hefner was brilliant for eight innings, but the Mets couldn't get a single out in the 9th, giving the Marlins a 2-1 walk-off wild pitch win in exchange for their sixth straight loss.

The Bad Stuff:

• Jeremy Hefner was masterful for 24 outs. Except baseball is a game of 27 outs, and Hef would get no more. A leadoff double and contested failed fielder's choice chased him in favor of Brandon Lyon, who promptly gave up the game-tying single to Donovan Solano. After an intentional walk, Lyon unintentionally threw what could only be classified as a wild pitch, allowing Juan Pierre to waltz home with the winning run.
• The game was uninspiring for both teams at the plate, but the losing team could barely get four men on base, scoring their lone run courtesy of a few productive outs. When they did get runners in scoring position, they hit 0-3.

The Good Stuff:

• Hefner did not deserve the loss in this, his second consecutive great start. Jeremy struck out a career-high eight batters and didn't walk anybody.
• Daniel Murphy scored the team's only run after a double in the 5th and a couple sac flies.
• Lucas Duda went 2-3 with a double.
• The Mets hit more than their fair share of long fly balls that would have been home runs in virtually every other ballpark in America.

Final Analysis:
It's hard to believe that if just a couple things had gone differently in this series the Mets would be the victorious ones the last two nights. If Collin Cowgill doesn't go back on that fly ball yesterday, he catches it, New York wins. If veteran third base ump Tim McClelland doesn't blow the call in the bottom of the 9th, perhaps New York wins again. Still, there was the matter of getting those other outs as well, and with the bullpen in as such sorry shape as it has been, that didn't seem likely.

What boggles my mind is the disappearance of what should be, and what has been, a quality offense for the Mets. It's hard to believe they could be this overmatched by the Miami Marlins, so what could it possibly be? Everyone slumping at once? Terry Collins making too frequent of lineup changes? Who knows for sure? But whatever it is, it's allowing other teams to stay in the game well past their time and allowing the bullpen to give away said games.

After a disappointing 10-15 start in April, the Mets turn the page to May looking to salvage...something in 2013. What that is remains to be seen. But at least we're out of Miami after tomorrow.

MM