SAN DIEGO — Zack Wheeler’s lone “mistake” Sunday wasn’t 🃏much o🐟f a mistake.
Upon further review of the 91 mph changeup he threw to Yasmani Grandal in the fourth inning that was swatted for a home run, Wheeler determi🔥ned the pitch wasn’t so bad.
“My command was a little off and I wish I didn’t allow that run, but sometimes you’ve g♏ot to give the hitter credit,” Wheeler said after the Mets’ 2-1 loss to the Padres. “Grandal hit a really good pitch, but I wish we would have pulled this one out today.”
The right-hander allowed one run on eight hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over six innings in taking the no-decision. The Mets didn’t tie the game until the eighth, when David Wright delivered an RBI single against Odrisamer Despaigne, who had 🔯lost his no-hit bid earlier in the inning. Daniel Murphy’s double with two outs in the eighth broke up the no-no.
“It’s one of those things where you ha🔯vꦯe to go out there and try to put up zeroes and you know our bats will eventually come around,” Wheeler said. “They did and they got me off the hook.”
It was a fourth straight start for Wheeler in which he pitch🐭ed six innings and allowed one run.
The Mets needed such a performance after Bartolo Colon and Dillon Gee were roughed up in successive starts to begin the second half. Each pitcher allowed four earned𒅌 runs over five innings against the Padres.
“I thought [Wheeler] threw the ball good,” manager Terry Collins said. “The home run, the ball is down — 6 inches off the ground. You certainly can’t say it was a mistake. It was a pretty gꦺood pitch, got him out front and he kept his hands back long enough to get a good swing at it.”
Wheeler isꦛ just glad he pꦇicked up where he left off before the All-Star break. Overall, he is 5-8 with a 3.78 ERA.
“You get a long break and I finished strong,” Wheeler said. ꧃“I tried to get the confidence up and keep doing the same thing I finished up doing.”