LOS ANGELES — So close to a sweep — or at minimum a series victory — but instead frustration reigned for the Mets on Thursday.
Francisco Alvarez couldn’t handle a throw, the same way Brandon Nimmo two nights earlier misplayed a ball in left field.
The Mets, on a day they led throughout against the Dodgers, squandered an eighth-inning lead in a 6-5 loss at Chavez Ravine that ended this four-game series in a split.
Reed Garrett was handed a 5-3 lead in the eighth, but after the Dodgers had scored once in the inning, Brett Baty’s throwing error allowed the tying run to score.
Andy Pages hit a grounder to Baty with Will Smith on third. Smith broke for the plate and Baty’s throw short-hopped Alvarez, but Garrett was backing up and had a shot at the out.
The only problem was Alvarez blocked Garrett at the plate as Smith slid across.
Garrett walked Mookie Betts to begin the inning and Smith’s double pulled the Dodgers within 5-4.
Michael Conforto, who is batting only .167, delivered the final dagger with an RBI single that gave the Dodgers a 6-5 lead.
On Tuesday, Nimmo got turned around on Freddie Freeman’s fly to left field in the 10th inning and watched the ball hit the base of the fence, with the winning run scoring.
Pete Alonso’s third homer in two games gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the second inning against Landon Knack.
Nimmo and Starling Marte hit consecutive homers to begin the second inning, extending the Mets’ lead to 3-0. Nimmo’s homer was his 10th this season and Marte’s his fourth.
But the Mets weren’t finished in the inning.
After Alonso was plunked and Jeff McNeil walked, Tyrone Taylor’s single loaded the bases.
Baty’s sacrifice fly extended the lead to 4-0.
The Dodgers jumped on Peterson for three runs in the bottom of the inning.
After Miguel Rojas walked and Shohei Ohtani singled, Betts stroked an RBI double.
Smith’s ensuing single and Teoscar Hernández’s RBI fielder’s choice sliced the Mets’ lead to 4-3.
Peterson induced double-play grounders in the fourth and sixth after surrendering a leadoff single in each inning.
In the fifth, he surrendered singles to Ohtani and Betts before retiring Smith and Hernández to escape.
After Juan Soto was intentionally walked in the eighth, Alonso delivered an RBI single that gave the Mets a 5-3 lead.
The RBI was Alonso’s 55th of the season, moving him ahead of Rafael Devers for the major league lead.
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