Francisco Lindor's mental mistakes cost the Mets in an extra-inning loss to the Cardinals
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Francisco Lindor made a couple of uncharacteristic mental mistakes Wednesday, and the second one certainly cost the New York Mets. The star shortstop lost track of the outs on defense in the opening inning and got picked off first base in the sixth — right before teammate Juan Soto homered.
The slumping Mets stranded 11 runners and lost 2-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals in 11 innings. Lindor reached base in the sixth on a one-out error by third baseman Nolan Gorman, but the leadoff hitter wandered too far off the bag and was fiddling with his gloves when he was easily picked off by St.
Louis starter Matthew Liberatore. “I should have been better,” Lindor said. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza credited the Cardinals with making a good move to nab Lindor.
“They got us there,” Mendoza said. “He was going to go. They got us with a quick step-off there.
I wouldn’t consider that one there a mental mistake. He was trying to get some momentum there and being aggressive. ” Three pitches later, Soto hit a soaring fly that landed just over the right-field fence inside the foul pole for a solo home run.