Freddy Peralta still left searching for answers as struggles continue in ugly Milwaukee return

Much like his entire first season with the Mets, Freddy Peralta’s first game back in Milwaukee didn’t go as planned. 

Simply put, other than his ovations from Brewers fans, it was ugly for Peralta.

The right-hander was greeted rudely by his old teammates, as they immediately made him pay for a four-pitch walk in the bottom of the first, striking for the first two runs of the ballgame.

21-year-old rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt jumped him for his first career homer in the second, then Andrew Vaughn got him for a two out two-run shot in the third to make it a 5-1 game.

Peralta had to battle to strand a man in scoring position as he posted his first scoreless frame in the fourth, then he followed that with his only perfect inning of the night. 

The Mets pushed him too far in the sixth, though, and he ultimately ran out of steam.

After a walk and single put runners on the corners with one out, Xzavion Curry entered and immediately served up a three-run homer to add even further damage on his line.

Overall, Peralta allowed seven runs on eight hits and a pair of walks over 5.1 innings.

“It’s frustrating for him, he desperately wants to be great,” interim manager Andy Green said. “Today he backed up some spin, he hasn’t had much trouble with that but got hit on those, and didn’t get the fastball up when he needed.

“He clicked it in there in the fourth and the fifth and was heading in the right direction, then the sixth probably gave him too much of a leash -- it was good to see some positives, but obviously, not the outing we’re looking for.”

Peralta now holds the third-highest ERA among qualified pitchers through 21 starts (5.01), and he’s completed six-full innings just six times over that span. 

He still can't explain the continued struggles, but will continue to battle to figure it out. 

“I don’t understand it,” the 30-year-old said. “I feel good, the stuff feels good and everything is there -- I’ve been working to figure it out, I’m not going to give up -- just have to keep going through this and keep fighting.”