Mets can’t escape funk as skid hits four games after 10-inning loss to Giants

Ryan Helsley overpowering hitters with triple-digit heat. Cedric Mullins pinch-hitting in the ninth inning of a tie game. The top of the order showing signs of breaking out of its collective slump.

There were flashes of the type of team that the post-deadline Mets hope to be. Just not enough of them.

Edwin Diaz was hittable in the 10th, and the Mets’ offense did not do enough hitting all night in a series- and stretch-run-opening 4-3, extra-inning loss to the Giants in front of a sellout crowd of 42,777 at Citi Field on Friday.

The Mets (62-48) have dropped four straight after winning seven straight and continued a funk that adding flame-throwing Helsley, funk-throwing Tyler Rogers and Cedric Mullins (who fouled out in his lone at-bat) did not immediately solve.
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In the deciding 10th, Diaz entered with the ghost runner on second and tried to miss bats, which he could not do. Matt Chapman’s ground out moved automatic runner Willie Adames to third. On a night of plenty of former-Met cameos, it was Dom Smith who pinch-hit and knocked a single through a drawn-in infield to give the Giants the lead.

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In the bottom of the inning, new Giants closer Randy Rodriguez — pitching because Tyler Rogers is in the home bullpen and Camilo Doval is now with the Yankees — hit Francisco Lindor and walked Pete Alonso to load the bases. But with two outs, Ronny Mauricio swung through heat to leave the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second.

The Mets could not get enough big hits — or enough hits at all, finishing with six — and could do little against opposing starter Robbie Ray. The lefty carried a no-hitter into the fifth and was not touched until the seventh, when Pete Alonso stepped up in a game the club trailed by three and drilled a solo homer.

The comeback truly began in the next inning — an inning that showed how makeshift the San Francisco bullpen has become after being raided by the Mets and Yankees.  

In the eighth, new Giants setup man Joey Lucchesi walked Brandon Nimmo and let up a single to Francisco Lindor. Juan Soto then smacked a ball that ricocheted off the mound and into shallow left, just out of reach of shortstop Adames, to drive in Nimmo.

New Giants setup man Jose Butto entered and served up a sacrifice fly to Pete Alonso, which tied the game up.

Helsley made his club debut and struck out three in a scoreless ninth inning, during which he touched 101.4 mph. Giants batters swung 11 times at his pitches and missed seven times, which is exactly what the Mets’ front office had in mind.

The rally provided hope for an offensive group that had been scuffling, scoring one run in its previous two games.

Juan Soto (in an 8-for-59 slide) chased a slider a foot out of the strike zone on a 1-for-4 night.

Francisco Lindor’s struggles continued, his 1-for-4 night making him 9-for-63 in his past 14 games.

Pete Alonso dropped a would-be foul-out but bounced back and drilled the home run that might have halted his own skid.

The Mets wasted another quality start from David Peterson, who now has pitched at least six innings in seven different starts since June 7 — which was the last time a non-Peterson Mets pitcher (in Clay Holmes) completed six innings.

Peterson allowed two runs in his six frames, only dented in the second. Matt Chapman walked on a full-count pitch that appeared to be in the zone before moving to third on a single from Wilmer Flores, who received a warm reception from the crowd.

A double from Casey Schmitt and ground out from Jung Hoo Lee scored the only runs the Giants would need until the Mets’ comeback began.