Mets try to get offense going, avoid sweep by Red Sox

The visiting New York Mets will have to generate more offense if they’re going to beat the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night and avoid a three-game sweep.

The Mets have scored one total run in the first two games of the series and have lost five of their last six games. New York has eight runs in that six-game stretch.

Timely hits have been rare for New York recently. The Mets are 9-for-61 with runners in scoring position in their last eight games and have left 60 runners on base. New York was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position during Tuesday’s 2-0 loss, which handed the Mets their first three-game losing streak of the season.

“Overall, we’re going through it, no doubt about it,” New York manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’re having a hard time putting guys on consistently, and when we do get those guys on, we’re having a hard time getting them in. … Overall, I feel like offensively we’re going through it right now.

“As far as the track record, we’ve got too many good players in this room. Understanding that at some point in the season you’re going to go through stretches like this. It happens. We have to continue to fight. We have to continue to work. We have to continue to stay positive. Turn the page. It might not sound right, but that’s what we gotta do. We have to keep fighting. We have to keep our heads up. We have another one tomorrow.”

Boston’s bullpen recorded 20 outs in Tuesday’s victory after starting pitcher Walker Buehler and manager Alex Cora were ejected with one out in the third inning after Buehler questioned a call by plate umpire Mike Estabrook. The Red Sox used seven pitchers during the win.

“They did an amazing job,” Cora said. “Obviously we were in a tough spot, but they found ways. Played good defense behind them, and (catcher Carlos Narvaez) did an outstanding job.”

Right-hander Tylor Megill (3-4, 3.74 ERA) is scheduled to start for New York on Wednesday. Megill has made one career appearance against Boston and allowed three runs on five hits in four innings but did not factor in the decision during an 8-3 Mets victory on Sept. 4, 2024.

Megill allowed four earned runs in his first 30 innings this season but has given up 14 earned runs in the last 14 innings.

“I’m putting myself in bad situations by falling behind,” Megill said following his last start, in which he allowed four runs and four hits over 2 2/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday. “That’s the main thing, just getting ahead of hitters.”

Left-hander Garrett Crochet (4-3, 2.00 ERA) is listed as Boston’s probable starter on Wednesday. Crochet has made one appearance against the Mets during his career, going 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA. Then with the Chicago White Sox, Crochet allowed a run on three hits in 3 1/3 innings in a 2-0 Mets victory.

“Let’s see what happens tomorrow,” Cora said. “We have to set the tempo from the mound. We got the right guy tomorrow; we just have to keep pitching. We did a good job (Monday). We did an outstanding job (Tuesday). We got Garrett going, so hopefully he can continue doing his thing and we can score a few more runs.”

-Field Level Media