The New York Mets extended their losing streak to four games on Saturday, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a particularly embarrassing fashion. With a chance to close the gap in the ninth inning, the Mets were dealt a blow by an unusual error from third baseman Brett Baty.
Facing Max Muncy with two on and one out, Baty appeared poised to make a routine play on a pop-up. However, he seemingly lost the ball in the lights, allowing it to drop in front of him. His subsequent diving attempt to recover resulted in the ball hitting him in the face, allowing Mookie Betts to score from third and extend the Dodgers' lead to 3-1. Baty took responsibility for the mishap, admitting there was "no excuse" for the missed play.
The Dodgers capitalized on the error, adding two more runs to secure a 5-1 victory. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso expressed his frustration with the team's overall performance, highlighting the missed opportunities, especially late in the game. Despite a strong outing from Mets starter Kodai Senga, who pitched six innings, allowing only one run on four hits while striking out nine, the Mets offense struggled to generate runs.
Dodgers star Mookie Betts continued his hot streak, going 4-for-4 with a solo home run, his 27th of the season. Betts attributed his recent success to finding a consistent mechanical feel in his swing. He's batting .410 with 21 RBIs in his last 17 games.
