
Flushing, NY: You put Clayton Kershaw on the mound as the NL West division champs Dodgers’ did Friday night there better be some good at bats at the plate. The Mets tried at Citi Field and Kershaw delivered as he always does.
But the other aspect to this, and with the Mets fighting for a NL wild card with 16 games remaining, is Noah Syndergaard. The Mets’ right-hander was not effective and once again failed to complete six innings. That’s the third time in his last four starts when Syndergaard has not gone more than six innings.
Simple, the Mets need their starters to go deep. This three-game series could finally define if they have any chance to remain standing in a race that is being contested with four other teams.
Friday night was not a good one for the Mets. Kershaw was effective, Syndergaard wasn’t, the Mets snapped a four-game winning streak. And now the deficit is three games to overtake the Cubs for that wildcard.“It wasn’t terrible,” said Mets manager Mickey Callaway about the loss.
The manager also said that Wlison Ramos called a good game behind the plate and Syndergaard said that there never was an issue about a preference having Tomas Nido or Rene Rivera.
“I think we were meshing and flowing,” Syndergaard said about Wilson.
But the Mets were not flowing and they can’t afford to lose many more with 15 games remaining. Basically it comes down to winning the final two games of this series or two of the three. If not, those wild card hopes are thin to none. As for Syndergaard and Ramos, there are the numbers.
In 16 starts with Ramos, Syndergaard has a 5.20 ERA. With Nido and Rivera the ERA is 2.22 in 11 starts.

Bill Menzel/ Latino Sports
Noah Syndergaard Got The Loss.
Regardless, the difference means nothing if the pitches are not working. And the Dodgers have that potent offense. Gavin Lux drove in multiple runs for the first time in his career and lined a three-run home run in the fourth inning to center off a 3-2 Syndergaard fastball.
The Mets bullpen, after the Dodgers four-run fourth was ineffective, and that has been a recurring issue. Again this is not the time for a bullpen to fail when the starter does not go long.
Edwin Rios hit his third career home run in the 8th inning off Walter Lockett that closed the door on the Mets.
But on this night it was Clayton Kershaw, not with his best stuff, but snapping a three-game losing streak and improving to 10-0 with a 2.19 lifetime against the Mets.
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