Mets hit new low as they blow 9th inning lead against Cubs, lose 11th straight game

It was the Mets’ first lead in 67 innings.

For a moment, it looked as though the experiment wouldn’t work. The Mets realized teams were stacking righties at the top of the order to face Peterson, so they inserted him into the game in the bottom of the third inning against No. 8 hitter, left-handed-hitting Crow-Armstrong.

The center fielder promptly drove a triple to center field off Peterson.

It almost felt predictable, and a run felt inevitable. Despite the front office’s solid assessment of the Mets’ defense, a team featuring defenders out of place at first base, third base, left field and right field has not played exceptionally clean. Even the infielders who aren’t out of place, Francisco Lindor and Marcus Semien, have made mistakes this season, with Lindor suddenly making so many mental errors that fans are questioning his mental health.

But Bo Bichette at third base prevented a run from scoring on a ground ball for the first out, and Crow-Armstrong was then doubled off third base to end the inning.

Luis Torrens hit a leadoff double in the sixth, but Assad and right-hander Jacob Webb retired the next six in order, and the Cubs’ bullpen continued to lock it down, giving the lineup a chance to come back.

The Mets were left to protect a one-run lead.

They were able to do so until Conforto came up in the ninth. Peterson tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings, and the pitching matchups were favorable from there. More importantly, the bullpen pitched well.

Left-hander Brooks Raley, who gave up the go-ahead homer in Saturday’s loss, pitched around a leadoff single for two outs in the seventh before handing the ball over to right-hander Luke Weaver, who got the final out in the seventh, and kept the ball on the ground for an easy eighth inning.

But then Williams gave up a leadoff single to Ian Happ. He struck out Suzuki to bring up Matt Shaw, and the Cubs sent up Conforto instead. In the top of the 10th, the Mets stranded runners on the corners.

The writing was on the wall when the Mets (7-15) couldn’t get a runner from third home against Caleb Theilbar (2-2), opening the door for the Cubs (12-9) to come back for the walk-off.