The usually dominant Max Scherzer had a rather forgettable evening in the Bronx Monday, as the New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets, 4-2, in the opener of this two-game series. Scherzer was expected to come out on top against the Yankees' struggling bats, but that obviously did not turn out to be the case, as he allowed four earned runs on seven hits and issued a walk in just 6.2 innings of mound duty. If anything, Scherzer also struck out just three Yankees hitters, which were not enough to quell his frustrations about his overall performance.

Via SNY:

“Two things are going on at the same time. Give credit to the Yankees for what they were able to do, but I can also look in the mirror and tell myself I can put the ball in better spots and execute better, as well.”

The Mets now have lost twice in Scherzer's last three starts, though the loss to the Yankees can be blamed clearer on him than the 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 12 at home. Against the Phillies, Max Scherzer suffered from a lack of run support, as he tossed nine innings of one-run ball, while his teammates couldn't put together enough runs to prevent a loss.

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Scherzer hasn't been sharp lately, having also issued three walks and four earned runs on three hits in a 9-7 road win over the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 17, but there's remotely any reason for the Mets to sound the alarm on their ace. Prior to his start against the Yankees, Max Scherzer had a .285 BABIP to go with an average of 11.06 strikeouts per nine innings. A pitcher like Scherzer should be able to find a fix to his mound troubles sooner than later.

The loss to the Yankees resulted in a 79-45 record at the moment for the Mets, who still lead the rest of the National League East division by 3.5 games. They remain in a precarious spot, with the Braves breathing down their necks, so there is a bit of pressure at least on Scherzer and the Mets to finally win consistently again. They have yet to win three games in a row since a 10-2 victory against the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 10.