Brewers Sweep Mets, Who Get No Momentum From Megill

 

Tylor Megill beginning a big double play hit into by Rhys Hoskins in the third inning. Photo by Jason Schott. 

The Mets, despite a possible momentum boost from Tylor Megill, dropped the series finale, 4-1, to the Milwaukee Brewers, who completed the sweep on Easter Sunday afternoon.

The day began for the Mets with the fallout from pitcher Yohan Ramirez being ejected from Saturday's game for throwing at Milwaukee first baseman Rhys Hopkins as retaliation for his tough slide into second base in Friday's opener than rankled Jeff McNeil.

Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza was suspended one game, so Bench Coach John Gibbons was in charge of the club for Sunday's game, and Ramirez was suspended for three games, pending appeal.

Just as Milwaukee did in the first two games, they got the early lead.

Megill meandered through a first inning, in which he walked Sal Frelick, whom he then picked off first base for the second out of the inning. Then, that was undone when Christian Yelich reached on a catcher's interference. Yelich proceeded to steal second, which let him come around to score on a single by Willy Adames to make it 1-0.

Then, in the second inning, with two outs, Brice Turang singled and came in to score on a double from Milwaukee's No. 9 hitter, Jackson Chourio, to make it 2-0.

The Mets got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second against Milwaukee starter Colin Rea when Francisco Alvarez laced a double to left field, and he came in to score on a single from Tyrone Taylor, who was in center field today.

Milwaukee threatened to respond in kind, and then some, as Megill, after striking out William Contreras to open the top of the third, proceeded to walk Yelich and Adames, followed by hitting Oliver Dunn with a pitch to load the bases.

Hoskins was the next hitter up, and Megill proceeded to get him to bounce one in front of the plate. Megill ran in, flipped it underhand to Alvarez, who was standing on the plate, to get the first out, and he fired to first to nab their nemesis, Hoskins, and complete the 1-2-3 double play and end the threat.

Francisco Alvarez catching the toss from Megill before firing a throw past Hoskins to get him at first base. Photo by Jason Schott.

The top of the Mets' order was up in the bottom half of the frame, a golden opportunity to build on the momentum from Megill's defensive gem.

However, as most of the weekend went, it was not to be, as Brandon Nimmo struck out, Francisco Lindor bounced out to first base, and Pete Alonso flew out to right field.

Megill kept his personal momentum going, as he retired Milwaukee in order in the fourth to end his afternoon. His final line was: 4 innings, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned run, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts. He left after four innings due to what, Gibbons said after the game, tenderness in the shoulder area that will require an MRI exam.

The Mets would get some momentum off that 1-2-3 inning, as Alvarez drew a walk with two outs before Brett Baty dropped in a single to right field, and Taylor would drew a walk after a 12-pitch battle that got the fans going, and the bases were loaded. Carlos Narvaez was up next, and he hit one to right field, but Chourio caught it just in front of the warning track.

Ramirez would enter for the Mets in the top of the fifth, and he allowed a one-out double to Contreras, got to a 3-0 count on Yelich before he was intentionally walked, and Adames drew a walk to load the bases once again. 

Dunn hit a single to center field to bring in Contreras to make it 3-1, and Hoskins was up next.

This time, Ramirez threw one high and tight, but otherwise there was no sense of what happened Saturday as he went on to strike him out. Joey Ortiz then bounced into a force out to end the frame.

Yohan Ramirez watches Rhys Hoskins take strike two on his way to a K in the fifth inning. Photo by Jason Schott.

Milwaukee would go right back at it in the sixth against Ramirez, as Turang doubled to left field, and with two outs, would come in on a double by Contreras to right field, and that made it 4-1 Brewers.

Rea went five innings for the Brewers to earn the win, as he gave up one run (earned) on five hits and two walks, with two strikeouts. 

Left-hander Bryan Hudson was on next, and he went three innings, in which he didn't allow a run on two hits and no walks, with four strikeouts. Joel Payamps came on to get the save, as he retired the Mets in order in the ninth, with an strikeout.