Carlos Mendozas magic touch disappears at worst time for Mets

Carlos Mendoza had pitched the manager’s version of a two-hit shutout Tuesday night, the first game he ever managed in the postseason.He’d deftly trusted his starting pitcher, Luis Severino, and maxed him out.He got two lights-out bullpen efforts from Jose Butto and Ryne Stanek.

He’d cleverly given Jesse Winker the start at DH, then subbed in J.D.Martinez, and together they drove in four runs.He absolutely outclassed Brewers manager Pat Murphy, also making his playoff debut as a skipper.

If Mendoza was playing chess, Murphy was playing Candyland.It was a nice running start to Mendoza’s postseason career.But baseball is funny this way:If it’s a game of redeeming features, as we learn time and again, it is also a game of redoubtable vulnerability.

Today’s genius is tomorrow’s heinous.Mendoza surely knew this already.

He’s been in the game a lot of years.Doesn’t make it any less brutal when you get a bowlful of humble pie for the first time.“We’ve been knocked down and shown the ability to get back up all year,” Mendoza said Wednesday night, after his Mets surrendered an eighth-inning lead under a barrage of questionable moves by Mendoza and questionable pitches from Phil Maton, dropping a 5-3 game to the Brewers that once again reduces their season to a one-game final exam.“We got punched today,” Mendoza said.

“They’re a good ballclub.We’ll be ready to go.”Maybe if the Mets had cashed in on several golden opportunities across the first seven innings, they could have built a bigger cushion than the 3-2 advantage they had in the eighth.

Maybe if Pete Alonso hadn’t tripped over his bat in the first inning, costing the Mets a run they sure could’ve used later on, things might’ve felt a little different with a two-run difference.But managers can’t manage that way.They have to deal with what they have.

Sean Manaea had given the Mets five solid innings of work, was at 86 pitches, and Mendoza toppled the first domino when he ...