The New York Mets’ unfathomable losing streak went to 11 on Sunday, with perhaps their harshest loss yet. Devin Williams couldn’t hold a 1-0 lead in the ninth inning, and Nico Hoerner’s 10th-inning sacrifice fly off Craig Kimbrel walked it off for the Chicago Cubs in a 2-1 win at Wrigley Field.
“It’s tough, especially when you’re going through it,” manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters in Chicago. “When you’re playing one-run games, you have to be perfect, and it’s hard to play like that. It’s a tough stretch right now.”
New York’s 11-game losing streak is its worst since 2004. The Mets haven’t lost 12 in a row since 2002. Their 7-15 start ties for the third-worst in franchise history with the 1983 season. Only 5-17 starts in 1962 and 1964 — the lovable-loser years of the then-expansion franchise — are worse.
For eight innings, this was set up to be a day of unexpected heroes for New York. Recent call-up MJ Melendez had provided the game’s only run with a solo shot off Javier Assad in the fifth inning. David Peterson, demoted from the rotation into a bulk role behind Tobias Myers, tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings in the middle of the game.
Handed that slim lead in the ninth, however, Williams allowed a leadoff single to Ian Happ and a one-out RBI double to pinch hitter and former longtime Met Michael Conforto. It was Williams’ first save opportunity — and just the third time he’s pitched — in the last two weeks.
In the 10th, consecutive pop-ups from Mark Vientos and Tyrone Taylor didn’t move the bonus runner, so Marcus Semien’s two-out infield single didn’t score a run. Luis Torrens struck out to end the inning.
Semien’s hit was the Mets’ only one with runners in scoring position on the day.
“In big situations, we haven’t come through. Sometimes baseball is on your side, and sometimes baseball is not on your side,” Francisco Lindor told reporters. “We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve got to bring it.”
In the bottom of the frame, Kimbrel’s wild pitch moved bonus runner Pete Crow-Armstrong to third, allowing Hoerner to win it with a fly ball.
“Whether it’s April or any point in the season, 11 losses is a lot,” Mendoza said. “We’ve got to find a way.”
Incredibly, the Mets have scored a total of 19 runs in the 11 losses. They are hitting an even .200 during that stretch. Naturally, the franchise’s worst losing streak in more than two decades has placed a spotlight on Mendoza’s job security.
Asked about it by reporters Sunday, the manager said, “I’m spending my energy on the things I can control.”