Mets manager calls out "frustrating" umpire’s call resulting in questionable triple play vs. Nationals
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expressed his frustration with a call made by umpire Alfonso Marquez during their recent game against the Washington Nationals. On Friday, the Mets opened their four-game series at Nationals Park.
The Nationals took an early lead with a Jose Tena single in the second inning and a CJ Abrams RBI triple in the third. In the fourth, Mets’ Jesse Winker stepped up to the plate and hit what appeared to be a ground ball, which was caught by first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.
Lowe then tossed the ball to shortstop CJ Abrams, resulting in a triple play, with Brandon Nimmo out at second and Mark Vientos out at first. However, Marquez ruled the play a lineout, which made the triple play stand.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was visibly upset and went out to argue with Marquez, but the call stood as it was a judgment call and not subject to review.
After the game, Mendoza shared his frustration:
"It's frustrating, obviously, because we all saw what happened. And I’m not blaming Alfonso because he’s the one behind the play, but I think the other three [umpires], somebody’s got to see that play. Tough break for us there."
CJ Abrams hit an RBI single in the seventh inning, adding to the Nationals’ tally. The Mets’ offense was scoreless through the first seven innings but came alive in the eighth, beginning with Brandon Nimmo’s RBI single.
Shortly after, Mark Vientos delivered a go-ahead three-run triple, giving the Mets a 4-3 lead. However, the Nationals tied the game in the ninth on José Tena’s RBI single and secured a 5-4 walk-off victory with James Wood’s single.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza opens up about key call following loss to Nationals
After Friday’s game, Carlos Mendoza also stressed the importance of the call made in the fourth inning. Discussing it, he said:
"That’s just frustrating – a play like that with so much impact, not only in that inning but in the game, it’s first and second, nobody out, and before you know it, you’re out of the inning and there’s nothing you can do about it. I was asking for them to get together, and it was just a pretty frustrating play."
Mendoza added:
"They said that if somebody saw it, somebody would have just called to Alfonso, and that was my frustration there. We all saw it in the dugout."
With this loss, the Mets are now 18-8 on the season and are set to face the Nationals again on Saturday.