The Citi Field crowd might have started in a good mood after the ceremony honoring David Wright before the game.
But they certainly didn’t end that way, showering boos across the final innings of a 5-2 loss to the Reds.
On such episode of jeering came on what appeared to be a double play that went awry.
From the way the ball left Tyler Stephenson’s bat, the result seemed predictable.
It would’ve allowed Reed Garrett, who’d just replaced Clay Holmes and inherited a first-and-third jam in the sixth inning, to escape after just one pitch.
But after Ronny Mauricio fielded the 73 mph grounder at third, his throw pulled Brett Baty to the left and off second base, turning a potential inning-ending double play into a fielder’s choice that allowed a run to score.
One batter later, Jake Fraley doubled to plate Stephenson.
Mauricio’s miscue led to the Mets eventually surrendering the two insurance runs they couldn’t afford to allow with a mostly quiet offense struggling again.
“Maybe trying to be a little too quick there, especially knowing the runners from home to first,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “You have the catcher there, and maybe just a little too quick there when you know that knowing the runner and the situation there, making sure that you finish the play there. And we didn’t do it.”
Mauricio, who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts at the plate, was one of the Mets who received boos from the sold-out crowd at Citi Field.
Two innings after the errant throw, after Jeff McNeil led off the eighth by reaching on an error, Mauricio had a chance to extend the Mets’ attempt at a rally, but instead, he grounded the first pitch back up the middle and allowed shortstop Elly De La Cruz to easily step on second and snap a throw to first.
He also had a chance to deliver in the first inning with the bases loaded — an opportunity to help the Mets build on an early lead after Mark Vientos’ RBI single — but grounded out to second, adding another wrinkle to his rocky 31-game stretch in the majors that followed a return from the torn ACL that cost him all of 2024.
At times, Mauricio has flashed his potential and provided a glimpse at the tantalizing power with four homers.
At other points, he has produced reminders, such as the .096 average and .279 OPS with runners in scoring position he entered Saturday with, for why he’s stuck in a three-man logjam at third base with Baty and Vientos.
“He’s been really good for us defensively,” Mendoza said of Mauricio’s 17 starts at third base. “Continues to make plays — not only the routine plays, but I feel like he’s showing some range and his ability to throw from different angles, coming in to the ball, backhanded. Overall, he’s been solid for us there.”
But with the Mets needing him to execute a routine play, Mauricio faltered.
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