The Mets struggled in multiple facets again in their loss to the Astros 6-3. Despite a decent outing from Zac Thornton, the Mets’ bullpen could not hang on to the fragile lead they were given, and the offense had no response.

— It was a battle of rookie pitchers between New York’s lefty Zac Thornton and Houston’s righty Ethan Pecko.

— Astros star shortstop Jeremy Peña led off the game with a 435-foot home run. The Mets offense responded in kind during the bottom half of the first inning, when Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto socked back-to-back solo shots.

— Thornton was sharp in his 11th career start, striking out five, walking one, and allowing two earned runs on six hits across five full innings. Now through 61 innings, he sports a 2.93 ERA.

— Facing right-handed reliever Jonathan Pintaro with a man on second base in the sixth, Astros lefty Lamonte Wade Jr. stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and cranked a two-run homer. 

— Wade’s third pinch-hit home run of his career was the turning point in the ballgame, giving the Astros a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.