Can Anybody Pitch Around Here? Pitching Kills Mets Once Again

So, I leave town for a few days only to come back and see that the Mets bullpen is as awful as ever.

• Today was R.A. Dickey's fifth consecutive quality start without a win. Dickey went seven innings, giving up two runs on six hits, while striking out four and walking none. He retired the first six batters he faced before starting off the third inning by hitting Jerry Hairston with a pitch. He gave up a solo home run to Casey McGehee in the fourth inning, and an RBI to Prince Fielder in the sixth.

• Lucas Duda tied the game in the seventh inning with a two-run home run to right field. This was his sixth home run of the season.

• After Jason Bay hit a double in the seventh inning, Josh Thole BUNTED and failed to advance the runner. Thole had no business bunting in that situation. I don't know what the reasoning was behind that play, but it better not happen again.

• The Mets bullpen continued to be atrocious. Manny Acosta, Tim Byrdak, Jason Isringhausen, and Pedro Beato combined to give up four runs in two innings of relief work. Manager Terry Collins had to go to his bullpen THREE times in the eighth inning. Acosta and Byrdak were unable to record an out in the inning. Isringhausen struggled, but managed to get three outs.

• I should cut Tim Byrdak some slack seeing as how he did enter the game and did get a ground ball to turn a potential double play. Justin Turner was given an error after throwing the ball to Ruben Tejada who looked like he just missed the ball. In my book, that error belongs with Tejada, not Turner. The error allowed Nyjer Morgan to score.

• Today was also a day of firsts. With the loss, the Mets are now six games under .500 for the first time since  May 4th, and this was also the first time the Brewers have ever swept the Mets in Queens.

Next Up: The Mets head to Philadelphia for a three-game series against the Phillies beginning Monday night. Jon Niese goes up against Cliff Lee. Game time is 7:05 p.m.