The New York Mets' offensive struggles continued on Tuesday night, as they dropped a 2-1 pitchers' duel to the Arizona Diamondbacks despite a stellar outing from starter Clay Holmes. Merrill Kelly outdueled Holmes to even the three-game series at one win apiece, leaving the Mets searching for answers at the plate.
Runs have been hard to come by for New York lately, and this game was no exception. The Mets struck first in the second inning when Brett Baty drove in Marcus Semien with a double after Semien's leadoff single. But those two hits represented nearly the entire offensive output—the Mets managed just one more hit the rest of the way. Kelly dominated through his start, and a pair of Arizona relievers followed suit, keeping the Mets' bats silent.
The Diamondbacks erased the 1-0 deficit in the third inning against Holmes. Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo singled, and Adrian Del Castillo walked to load the bases. Ildemaro Vargas then delivered a two-run single, putting Arizona ahead 2-1.
Holmes was sharp aside from that brief hiccup, departing with two outs in the sixth and a runner on base. The bullpen held firm: Austin Warren picked him up with a scoreless inning, and Craig Kimbrel followed with another shutout frame. But the damage was done.
Kelly was followed by Taylor Clarke in the eighth and closer Paul Sewald in the ninth, and neither reliever had trouble silencing New York's punchless lineup. The Mets struck out eight times, and their only other hit was a double by Tyrone Taylor.
It's easy to see why the Mets are struggling to score. Juan Soto and Bo Bichette are both in slumps—Soto's average has dropped to .273, while Bichette is scuffling at .226 with a woeful .226/.269/.296 slash line. With rookie Carson Benge hitting fifth and veteran MJ Melendez in the three-hole, this lineup lacks the firepower to consistently pressure opposing pitchers.
The Mets wasted a gem from Holmes, who lowered his ERA to a sparkling 1.86—a mark that should easily translate to a better record than 4-3. New York still has a chance to take the series with a win tomorrow, but relying on the occasional offensive explosion isn't a sustainable formula. At 15-24, the Mets are below .500 and need their bats to wake up fast.