NEW YORK _ Pitching for a third day in a row for the first time this season, Edwin Diaz allowed a game-winning home run to the Reds' Jesse Winker in the top of the ninth Monday at Citi Field, the slim difference in the Mets' 5-4 loss.
Winker's homer was the second allowed by Diaz (0-1) this season. His ERA rose to 1.54.
Outside of a game-tying rally gifted to them by Reds starter Tanner Roark in the fourth inning, the Mets managed minimal offense on a chilly, windy and occasionally rainy night at a nearly empty Citi Field.
The Mets (14-14) dropped to .500 again. They haven't had a losing record at any point on the young season and will look to stave off that fate Tuesday as Jason Vargas (7.20 ERA) gets the ball opposite Luis Castillo (1.23 ERA).
The opening round went to the Reds, but this series is a study in juxtapositions.
The Mets play the longest games in baseball, averaging 3 hours and 19 minutes to begin the week. The Reds, at 2:55, play the shortest games.
The Mets have had the worst pitching staff (5.32) in the National League. The Reds brought the majors' worst average (.209).
The Mets, expected to contend in a competitive NL East, came into the series with a winning record. The Reds (12-16), who are in the middle of a long rebuild and were perhaps close to alone in expecting themselves to contend in a less competitive NL Central, approach May in last place.
On Monday, the only one of those trends that played out the Mets' way was the least welcome one _ the long game (3 hours, 15 minutes).
Kicking off the Mets' scoring was a rare sight so far in 2019: an extra-base hit from Wilson Ramos, who launched a high fastball off the right-field wall in the second inning.
The Mets began the week with a .515 OPS from their catchers, mostly Ramos, but with some Travis d'Arnaud (designated for assignment Sunday) and Tomas Nido (called back up Sunday) sprinkled in. That was third-worst in baseball behind the Royals, who lost perennial All-Star Salvador Perez for the year to Tommy John surgery in spring training, and the Pirates, who have seen Francisco Cervelli suffer a steep dropoff from his career norms.
A catcher's defense is difficult to quantify, but Ramos hasn't lit it up behind the plate, either.
Asked about Ramos' defense Sunday, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen offered a vote of confidence that fell well short of a ringing endorsement.
"Wilson Ramos is a veteran, he's a pro. We have every confidence that he can play good defense," Van Wagenen said. "He's shown flashes at times, and he's a big part of what we're doing here. I have no doubt that Wilson Ramos is the right guy to be behind the plate on a primary basis for us."
Zack Wheeler pitched six innings and was good outside of the second, when he allowed all four of his runs. He walked the first two batters in the inning and allowed several soft batted balls that found holes _ including RBI doubles by Jose Iglesias, snuck down the first-base line, and Jose Peraza, down the left-field line.
How unusual of a sequence was that? Wheeler allowed as many as three runs in an inning just twice in his first 30 frames this season. And the Reds have averaged fewer than four runs per game this year.
Roark helped the Mets out in the fourth. With two outs, Roark had Juan Lagares in an 0-and-2 count before losing the strike zone. Lagares walked, then Wheeler dunked a single into center. Jeff McNeil drew a walk to load the bases and Pete Alonso walked to force in a run, ending Roark's night. He allowed four runs in 3 2/3 innings. Reliever Wandy Peralta walked his first batter, Brandon Nimmo, on four pitches to tie the score.
