With the Mets facing Zac Gallen and the Diamondbacks, the Citi Field crowd could have expected to see a strong pitching performance. Gallen has been amongst the game’s best pitchers in 2023, earning him the starting nod for the National League in this year’s All-Star Game, but it was the Mets’ starter who was making just his seventh start of the season who dazzled on the mound on Wednesday night. Joey Lucchesi was brilliant for the Mets, throwing seven-plus innings and allowing just one unearned run, and Pete Alonso led the way for the offense as the Mets took home a 7-1 victory.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Lucchesi was making his first start since throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Cardinals on August 18. Despite striking out just two batters, Lucchesi kept the Diamondbacks’ offense in check. He pitched into the eighth inning for the first time in his MLB career, and only was pulled after a double play ball got away from Francisco Lindor due to a bad hop on the infield dirt. Despite pitching to a 4.74 ERA in Triple-A Syracuse, Lucchesi improved his MLB ERA to 2.83 with his dominant outing.

Gallen, who entered the night as one of the favorites in a tight N.L. Cy YoungAward race, was coming off a complete-game shutout against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in his last start. The Mets wasted no time getting to the Diamondback’s ace, and they could have had a big first inning if not for stellar defense from Jake McCarthy in center field. Lindor doubled off the wall, and Alonso drove him in with a single. However, McCarthy made diving catches to rob Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil of hits to start and end the inning and hold the Mets to just the lone run in the first.

The Mets doubled their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on back-to-back two-out hits from McNeil and Rafael Ortega. After McNeil singled, Ortega laced a double into the right field corner. Joey Cora aggressively sent McNeil home, but a poor relay from Tommy Pham and Ketel Marte and a terrific slide from McNeil gave the Mets their second run of the night.

Alonso continued his big day in the fifth inning. With a 1-2 count, the Mets’ first baseman ripped a 109.8 mph line drive into the gap to bring in two more runs on his 17th double of the season. Alonso finished the day going 2-for-5 with three RBIs. It was the second consecutive day that he had a multi-hit game.

The two Baby Mets in the lineup both contributed to the Mets’ big offensive day. Mark Vientos followed his two-hit game on Tuesday with a two-run homer against Gallen on Wednesday, and Brett Baty collected two base-hits to break an 0-for-18 skid. Baty came out of the game with a trainer prior to the top of the seventh inning with left groin soreness. After the game, Buck Showalter said Baty’s groin stiffened when he was running the bases.

The Mets’ big offensive day may have taken Gallen out of the Cy Young Award race. The Diamondback’s right-hander went five innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits and two walks.

Trevor Gott inherited the bases loaded, nobody out jam when Lucchesi came out of the game in the eighth and nearly got it of it unscathed. After retiring the first batter, Gott got a double-play ball from Pham, but McNeil’s throw to first was wild and allowed the runner on third to score.

Drew Smith threw a hitless ninth inning to close out the Mets’ victory. With the win, the Mets moved to 67-78 and secured at least a split in the four-game series.

Player of the Game: Joey Lucchesi

Lucchesi was terrific for the Mets on Wednesday night. He went seven shutout innings allowing just five hits, three walks and one unearned run with two strikeouts. It was the second time this season Lucchesi had gone seven scoreless innings, with his first start of the season on April 21 in San Francisco being the other. The win was Lucchesi’s third of the season, and he was one bad hop away from potentially having the best start of his MLB career.

On Deck

The Mets will look to win their four-game series with the Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon at 4:10 p.m. ET. Kodai Senga (10-7, 3.07 ERA) will make the start against Merrill Kelly (11-6, 3.16 ERA) for Arizona. Senga threw eight innings allowing just one run on four hits while striking out 12 in his July 5 start against the Diamondbacks in Arizona. The rookie right-hander has pitched to a 2.72 ERA over 10 starts in the second half.

The game will be broadcast on SNY with pregame coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET, and the radio call will be on WCBS 880.