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NEW YORK — One of the few trouble spots for the New York Mets this season has been keeping their pitchers healthy.
However, finding ways to win wasn’t a problem.
Mark Canha hit a two-run homer and the Mets tossed the potential tie on the plate in the ninth inning Thursday night to preserve a 5-4 comeback win over the scuffling Milwaukee Brewers.
After both starting pitchers were knocked out with injuries in the middle innings, the Mets took advantage of a costly mistake by first baseman Rowdy Tellez to get the starting shot for the eighth heat.
JD Davis led with a singles against Brent Suter (1-1) and raced to third when Tellez – Davis’ high school teammate – fielded Luis Guillormes Grounder and made a wild throw into left field to get a power in second .
“It was a game where I made 1,000 out of 1,000 times and I got lazy and cost my team the win,” Tellez said. “And that’s something I have to come to terms with. I messed up.”
An out later, pinch runner Starling Marte scored on Nick Plummer’s RBI groundout from third place when Tellez shot for second and this time got the power.
Hunter Renfroe singles to start the ninth against Mets closer Edwin Díaz. After a strikeout, pinch hitter Tyrone Taylor looped a soft double into shallow right field and Renfroe tried to score all the way from the start.
Plummer tracked the ball against the low retaining wall and made a one-hop throw to first baseman Pete Alonso, who handed over to catcher Tomás Nido in time for the latter to hit Renfroe in the face as he slid past.
“Really thrilled we got the game in time,” said Alonso. “That was huge, and then Sugar did his job and shut the door.”
Brewery manager Craig Counsell said he thinks third base coach Jason Lane made the right choice with Renfroe – even with an off and Christian Yelich next.
“You have to go. They think they have to go,” Alonso said. “Renfroe, he’s a really good baserunner. He was dragging around the bases and at that point you have to do whatever it takes to finish the game.”
With Taylor in third, Díaz beat Yelich for his 13th save.
“We were lucky because then I have to play Yeli with an out, man in second place, and the situation changes,” said Díaz. “With two outs, I said, ‘This game is mine,’ so I just made my pitches.”
Drew Smith (1-1) earned a scoreless eighth place finish. Jeff McNeil and Nido had RBI singles for the Mets, who erased a 4-1 deficit and improved the National League’s best record to 42-23.
Yelich hit a leading homer in a four-run fourth run for the Brewers that also included Omar Narváez’s two-run single. Milwaukee lost two of three in the series and has lost 10 of 12 overall.
“It’s my fault we lost,” Tellez said.
Mets right-hander Tylor Megill left in the fourth with a right shoulder problem. It was his second start in four weeks on the injured list with a right bicep inflammation.
“Pretty curious to see what it is,” said Megill, the rotational replacement for injured ace Jacob deGrom. “It’s very strange. It’s more about the delay than the actual throwing.”
Megill will undergo an MRI on Friday.
“We’re hoping to get lucky there,” said manager Buck Showalter.
Canhas homer from left-hander Aaron Ashby in the fifth tied it 4 to all. A batter later, Ashby was removed as a precaution due to a tight left forearm.
“I felt like I could have thrown further,” he said.
TRAINING ROOM
Brewers: RHP Brandon Woodruff, who has numbness in his three middle fingers due to Raynaud’s syndrome, is scheduled to throw about 50 pitches in a rehab start for Triple-A Nashville on Saturday. Counsell said Woodruff will need several rehab trips before rejoining the rotation. … RHP Trevor Gott (right bar) is scheduled to throw the first of several bullpens in Cincinnati this weekend.
Mets: 3B Eduardo Escobar was unavailable. “Non-workplace event, as they put it,” Showalter said. “We’ll see how he’s doing tomorrow. That’s all I can really say legally.” … Marte (bruised right forearm) was not on the starting line-up after being hit by a pitch on Wednesday night. He said to be back on Friday. … RHP Max Scherzer threw 50 pitches in a simulated game while recovering from a left oblique strain. If he continues to feel good, the three-time Cy Young Award winner plans to start rehab in the minor leagues next Tuesday — and it’s at least possible he’ll return to the Mets after that. … C James McCann (left hamate break) went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and scored six innings for Double-A Binghamton in his first rehab game.
BABY ON BOARD
Brewers All-Star seamstress Josh Hader and his wife Maria welcomed their first child, named Lucas Alexander, on Wednesday. Hader is on the paternity list and is expected to be out for another day.
NEXT
Brewer: LHP Eric Lauer (5-2, 3.36 ERA) starts Friday in Cincinnati against rookie RHP Hunter Greene (3-7, 5.10) in the opener of a three-game streak. Lauer was roughed out for eight carries, a career high, and seven hits over five innings last Saturday in an 8-6 loss in Washington.
Mets: RHP Carlos Carrasco (7-2, 3.93) plays Miami in the opener of a four-game series Friday night.
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