LOS ANGELES — Business as usual returned for the Mets on Thursday.
That meant keeping their bats under protective glass bearing the message “do not break, even in the case of emergency” and another loss to a team that has absolutely manhandled them in recent seasons.
The good vibes from concluding a losing streak a day earlier were forgotten with a 4-1 loss to the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine that pushed the Mets again below .500 and five games behind the Braves in the NL East.
It was also the Mets’ 22nd loss in 26 meetings against the Dodgers, dating to 2016. That included a three-game sweep by the defending World Series champions last weekend in New York.
A day after owner Steve Cohen tweeted his frustration about the team’s offensive shortcomings (and the Mets scored four runs in the 12th inning to beat the Giants to snap a five-game skid) the production was minimal against seven Dodgers pitchers in a bullpen game.
“We’re still confident, we’re just right there,” said J.D. Davis, who drove in the Mets’ only run with a double in the fourth. “It’s just maybe one, two, three plays that are making a difference in the game.”
It won’t get any easier over the next three days, in which the Mets are scheduled to face Walker Buehler, Max Scherzer and David Price in succession. The Mets then return home to face the Giants and complete a 13-game stretch against the NL West powerhouses.
Davis, looking for a silver lining, said the fact the Dodgers used so many bullpen arms Thursday will put pressure on their starters to work deep into the next game or two.
Jeff McNeil went hitless in four at-bats from the No. 2 hole, extending his recent drought to 3-for-33 (.091). Dominic Smith (.107) also went hitless in four at-bats to push his slump to 3-for-28. The Mets put just three runners in scoring position for the entire game and left five runners on base. They managed only six hits, five of which were singles.
“We didn’t connect much,” manager Luis Rojas said.
After taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning against the Dodgers in his last start — a Mets loss in extra innings — Taijuan Walker got tagged for two early runs and two more in the fifth.
Overall, the right-hander surrendered four earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk. It was a third straight start in which Walker completed at least six innings after going seven in a row without reaching that mark.
Davis’ RBI double in the fourth sliced the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1, but his base-running helped kill the inning. With one out, Smith hit a line drive that was snared by Trea Turner, and Davis — running on contact — was easily doubled up.
Pete Alonso began the rally with a leadoff single against Evan Phillips and got the signal to score from third base coach Gary DiSarcina on Davis’ shot into the left-field corner. The RBI double was the Mets’ only extra-base hit of the night.
The Dodgers used productive outs in the second inning to take a 2-1 lead against Walker. After Corey Seager drew a leadoff walk and recent nemesis Will Smith doubled him to third, A.J. Pollock and Chris Taylor were retired on successive ground outs to the right side that brought in both runners.
Billy McKinney, who was designated for assignment by the Mets last month and claimed by the Dodgers, smashed a pinch-hit RBI double in the fifth that extended Los Angeles’ lead to 3-1. Taylor started the rally by reaching second on an infield single on which Davis threw errant to first base. Trea Turner’s RBI single brought home the Dodgers’ fourth run.
“This is a big challenge that we’re going through right now and we’ve got to do this together,” Rojas said. “These things can build up sometimes and destroy a team.”