New York Mets top Milwaukee Brewers 4-2

WP: Robert Gsellman (3-3) LP: Matt Garza (2-2) Save: Addison Reed (7) HR: Mil - Domingo Santana (8); NYM - none

Box Score

The Milwaukee Brewers’ Memorial Day game was less than memorable, as they fell to the New York Mets 4-2.

The Brewers tallied first, plating an unearned run in the top of the fifth. Jonathan Villar led off the inning with a routine grounder to short that Asdrubal Cabrera threw into the dirt, allowing Villar to reach. Orlando Arcia singled to right with Villar moving to second. Garza dropped down a successful sacrifice that would have rolled foul down third, but Jose Reyes took the out at first. Keon Broxton’s slow roller to third drove home Villar for a 1-0 Brewer lead.

The lead was short-lived. Garza was suddenly very hittable, as curveballs that were called strikes were in the dirt and fastballs that were on the corners were right down the middle. Cabrera singled, Brewer-for-a-minute Wilmer Flores had the second of his three singles, Rene Rivera doubled down the leftfield line scoring Cabrera, Gsellman’s flyball to right to right was deep enough to drive in Flores, and Michael Comforto drilled a double down the rightfield line to score Rivera. Two flyballs to Domingo Santana in right ended the frame with the Mets up 3-1.

Milwaukee pulled back within a run in the top of the sixth on a two out, 0-2 homerun from Santana to left center. In the bottom of the inning Garza retired the first two before walking Cabrera and giving up Flores’ third single. That ended the day for Garza, and Rob Scahill came on for the Brewers. His up and in fastball caught Rivera in his right wrist to load the bases, and Mets’ manager Terry Collins decided to stick with Gsellman with the bases loaded and two out.

To this point in the game I had been surprised at the lack of bad calls by home plate ump C.B. Buckner, but with the count two and two on the New York pitcher Buckner called consecutive balls on pitches that would have retired Gsellman with Robot Umps. That turned into an RBI walk, Gsellman’s second RBI of the game - and third of his career. The Mets led 4-2 after six.

Garza’s day ended with 5.2 innings, 7 hits allowed, 4 earned runs, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Gsellman pitched very well, coaxing groundballs with a sharp sinking fastball. Gsellman went 7 innings, giving up 3 hits, 2 walks, 1 earned run out of the 2, and 5 strikeouts.

Oliver Drake redeemed himself for yesterday’s melt-down performance with a 1-2-3 seventh, and Neftali Feliz had his second scoreless appearance in his last three in the eighth.

The Mets’s pen finished off Milwaukee, first with perfect work in the eighth from Paul Sewald. Addison Reed finished off the Crew despite allowing back to back singles to Travis Shaw and Santana leading off the ninth inning. Reed struck out Manny Pina on three pitches (maybe partially erasing the pain of allowing Pina’s game winning dinger on Mothers’ Day), struck out Jonathan Villar on four pitches, and needed two to get Arcia to fly to left.

Arcia’s fifth inning single extended his hitting streak to nine games.

Milwaukee (27-24) sends Zach Davies (5-3, 5.33) out to face presumed starter Tyler Pill (0-1, 5.40) tomorrow night at Citi Field. Game time is 6:10 central, and FSWisconsin will have the broadcast.