If Sunday was Freddy Peralta’s final act with the Mets, it fairly represented his disappointing Queens tenure.
In other words, a short and ineffective performance.
But another player imported from Milwaukee by president of baseball operations David Stearns left the larger imprint on the day.
That would be Tyrone Taylor, whose go-ahead homer in the sixth inning led a comeback, allowing the Mets to avoid a series sweep with an 8-3 victory over the Dodgers at Citi Field.
Taylor, mostly a weapon against lefties, delivered a three-run homer against right-hander Evan Phillips that resurrected the Mets following an underwhelming Peralta outing.
The Mets piled on in the seventh, with Marcus Semien’s three-run blast providing insurance.
Peralta, who figures to depart ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline — he still could receive another start for the Mets next weekend — was facing a vaunted lineup.
But at the same time, he has slogged enough in recent weeks that maybe the opponent didn’t matter.
Peralta unloaded 93 pitches over four innings and allowed three runs (one unearned) on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
It was Peralta’s fourth start in his last five in which he failed to complete five innings.
Such outings might be acceptable from a fifth starter.
But the Mets acquired Peralta last winter as their purported ace and have watched him pitch to a 4.99 ERA as he prepares to enter free agency.
First there is the likelihood that Peralta will finish this season pitching in a playoff race and hoping the fresh start returns him to the form he displayed in emerging as a Brewers ace.
The Mets, who are 4-5 since the All-Star break, will receive another stiff dose of competition with the Braves arriving on Monday.
The Mets finished 1-5 against the Dodgers this season.
The Mets’ lineup rallied late in the team’s second game since losing Juan Soto to a calf strain that figures to keep him sidelined for most of the remaining schedule.
A.J. Ewing’s bloop double leading off the first and Francisco Lindor’s ensuing single against Emmett Sheehan gave the Mets a 1-0 lead.
Bo Bichette also singled in the inning, but was left stranded along with Lindor.
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Peralta struck out Shohei Ohtani on a 96 mph high heater in the third, but walked Andy Pages before Freddie Freeman smashed an RBI double to tie it 1-1.
Max Muncy’s RBI ground out gave the Dodgers the lead. Peralta’s trouble started with a leadoff double by Eliezer Alfonzo.
Jared Young’s fielding error at first base led to the Dodgers scoring an unearned run in the fourth.
Peralta never broke to cover first base on the Kyle Tucker grounder, only adding to the sloppiness.
Alfonzo’s RBI ground out put the Mets in a 3-1 hole.
In the sixth, Carson Benge and Luis Robert each walked before Taylor put the Mets ahead with his eighth homer this season.
Ewing walked in the seventh and scored on a passed ball, extending the Mets’ lead to 5-3.
Before the inning was complete, Marcus Semien delivered a three-run homer.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
