It was another blowout Thursday night as the Mets could only muster two runs against Dodgers pitcher Randy Wolf, who improved to 4-3 on the year. He had another solid outing pitching 6 1/3 innings. The same can’t be said for Mets starter Livan Hernandez, who had his second dismal outing in a row.

Hernandez managed to make it through four innings, one better than his outing against the Phillies, but he allowed eight earned runs compared to the seven against Philadelphia. It makes it an automatic uphill battle when your starter allows four runs in the first inning before your team’s even had a chance to bat.

The Mets were able to get one back in the bottom of the first, when Gary Sheffield singled and drove home Nick Evans who had walked. David Wright, who had another two hits and a walk in this game, had singled to put runners on first and second with one out. But Hernandez gave that run right back and allowed another in the second inning.

The Mets got only their second run in the third inning after Wright singled and Tatis hit a double. Ryan Church, who has been struggling at the plate in the past few days, grounded out, but it drove Wright home. That would be it for the offense.

Hernandez gave up the other two runs in the top of the fourth inning. Tim Redding entered the game in relief in the eighth inning and got knocked around for three runs. To be fair, it looked like he was making good pitches, but the Dodger hitters were just too good.

Mets pitching has been atrocious recently. In the Dodger series, Mets pitchers have allowed a combined 23 runs, 39 hits and 25 walks. The starters—Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez and Hernandez—pitched a total of 12 innings and none of them made it out of the fifth inning. The bullpen also has been vulnerable. In a time when the offense can’t muster any runs, the pitching has to be all the more effective, and it’s not even close right now.

The Mets are 5 1/2 games out of first place, a situation they have not been in all year. The All-Star break can’t come soon enough. The Mets hope Fernando Nieve can stem the tide against the Reds on Friday night.