**BALTIMORE —** The Mets gave up a lead twice in one day.
Ahead 2-0 after the first inning, where Brandon Waddell escaped a bases-loaded situation in his debut start, Baltimore’s Alex Jackson hit an RBI double in his first season at-bat. 2024 All-Star Jordan Westburg then hit a 413-foot home run, putting Baltimore ahead, a lead they maintained.
The Orioles scored four more off the Mets’ bullpen, winning 7-3 at Camden Yards, sweeping Thursday’s doubleheader and taking the only series of the season. The Mets are now 1-5 in doubleheaders and under .500 in interleague play in 2025.
Westburg’s homer was the day’s second go-ahead for the Orioles following Gunnar Henderson’s pinch-hit homer in the first game’s eighth inning.
New York, which entered Thursday with the fewest home runs allowed this season, saw that strength wane in July, having given up 17 home runs, only fewer than the Yankees.
Starting pitcher injuries are affecting New York. Sean Manaea, with a 12-6 record last season and a 3.47 ERA, hasn’t played due to a strained oblique. Kodai Senga, initially 7-3 with a 1.47 ERA, hasn’t pitched since June 12 due to a hamstring issue.
The Mets, previously a league-leading 45-24 when Senga was active, have a record of 8-16 since. Both Senga, 32, and Manaea are expected to pitch this weekend in Kansas City, potentially providing a mostly healthy rotation before the All-Star break.
Tylor Megill, who performed well in April followed by tough months, was moved to the 60-day injured list with elbow inflammation. Paul Blackburn, out with a right shoulder problem since late June, posted a 7.71 ERA in six games.
It’s likely neither would start if the staff were fully healthy.
Waddell allowed three runs in three innings. After a first-game collapse post-All-Star David Peterson’s stellar performance, the Mets’ bullpen faltered again.
New York yielded two runs in the fifth inning, one resulting from a Brett Baty error at third base. The Orioles added two more in the sixth. Justin Hagenman, Richard Lovelady, and Rico Garcia, all with fewer than 13 innings for the Mets, relieved Waddell.
Meanwhile, New York’s offense struggled against a team with the worst ERA and most home runs allowed in the American League. Starter Tomoyuki Sugano, with a 6.20 ERA in June, gave up six runs in his first July start. He managed four hits and three walks over six effective innings against the Mets.
New York, second in NL runs in July, scored only four in Thursday’s two games. The Mets haven’t won a road series since June 6-8 against the Colorado Rockies, a team over 50 games below .500.
*For more on the Mets, visit AMNY.com*
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com
