At Intermission, the Mets Stagger off the Stage

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

There was a carnival in the plaza outside Citi Field on Sunday morning. Bouncy houses, balloon animals and a dunk tank welcomed Mets fans as they walked off the No. 7 train. It was put on by Send in the Clowns, the team’s official party provider. Still, Corey Johnson, a stadium greeter, knew optimism would be a tough sell.

“It’s a thank you for coming,” he said. “It’s rough being a Mets fan right now.”

Indeed, it was the Phillies, the Mets’ opponents on Sunday, who stepped right up when the game began. In merry-go-round fashion, they made their way around the basepaths to take a 4-0 lead after just one inning.

It would be more than enough. For in their final game…