Ryan Helsley overpowering hitters with triple-digit heat. Cedric Mullins pinch-hitting in the ninth inning of a tie game. The top of the order showing signs of breaking out of its collective slump.
There were flashes of the type of team that the post-deadline Mets hope to be.
Just not enough of them.
Edwin Díaz was hittable in the 10th, and the Mets offense did not do enough hitting all night in a series- and stretch-run-opening 4-3, extra-inning loss to the Giants in front of a sellout crowd of 42,777 at Citi Field on Friday.
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The Mets (62-48) have dropped four in a row after winning seven straight and continued a slump that adding the flamethrowing Helsley, funk-throwing Tyler Rogers and Mullins (who fouled out in his lone at-bat) did not immediately solve.
In the deciding 10th inning, Díaz entered with the ghost runner on second and tried to miss bats, which he could not do. Matt Chapman’s ground out moved automatic runner Willy Adames to third. On a night with cameos from several former Mets, it was Dom Smith who knocked a single through a drawn-in infield for the go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the 10th, new Giants closer Randy Rodríguez — pitching because Rogers was in the home Mets bullpen and Camilo Doval is now with the Yankees — hit Francisco Lindor and walked Pete Alonso to load the bases. But with two outs, Ronny Mauricio was blown away by a 100.1 mph four-seamer to end the game.
The Mets could not get enough big hits — or enough hits at all, finishing with six — and could do little against Robbie Ray. The lefty carried a no-hitter into the fifth and was not touched until the seventh, when Alonso stepped up in a game the club trailed by three and drilled a solo homer.
“Robbie was electric tonight,” said Alonso, who placed more credit on the opposing pitcher and less blame on the offense. “He had his big boy stuff today.”
The comeback truly began in the next inning — a frame that showed how makeshift the San Francisco bullpen has become after being raided by the Mets and Yankees.
In the eighth, new Giants setup man Joey Lucchesi walked Brandon Nimmo and allowed a single to Lindor. Juan Soto then smacked a ball that ricocheted off the mound and into shallow left, just out of reach of Adames at shortstop, to drive in Nimmo.
José Buttó, the new Giants setup man and a Met as recently as a few days ago, entered and served up a game-tying sacrifice fly to Alonso, who thought back to his spring training battles with Buttó.
“How do I go back in my memory bank here and recall my live ABs from God knows how long ago,” said Alonso, who called the sac fly a “tie.”
Helsley made his club debut and struck out three in a scoreless ninth inning, during which he touched 101.4 mph. Giants batters swung 11 times at his pitches and missed seven times, which is exactly what the Mets’ front office had in mind.
The Mets lost not because of the bullpen but because of an offense that has scored four runs in three games. Soto knocked that single, but after a 1-for-4 night, he is amid an 8-for-59 slide. Lindor’s struggles mostly continued, his own 1-for-4 night making him 9-for-63 in his past 14 games.
Alonso will hope his shot into the opposing bullpen in right-center will help halt his own skid.
“Hopefully we can carry that momentum into tomorrow,” Alonso said of the late rally. “Obviously results aren’t there, but the at-bats are good.”
The Mets wasted another quality start from David Peterson, who has pitched at least six innings in seven starts since June 7 — which was the last time a non-Peterson Mets pitcher (Clay Holmes) completed six innings.
Peterson allowed two runs in his six frames, only dented in the second, when a walk, single, double and RBI ground out gave the Giants two early runs in a game the Mets would never lead.
Thus began the first day of the rest of the Mets’ season.
“I think we’re all excited to have all the guys that we brought over,” Peterson said. “Now that we’re past [the deadline], this is our group.”