Still in the hunt for a Wild Card berth, the Mets (80-73) get their third-straight win to kick off a three-game series with the Reds (72-82) at the Great American Ball Park (Box Score).
Pitching
Jacob deGrom took the mound for New York and got the win after cruising through seven scoreless innings while surrendering just four hits with no walks, and striking out nine.
The reigning National League Cy Young winner is strengthening his case for a second-consecutive award. After tonight’s outing, his ERA has lowered to 2.51 on the season, now second to only Hyun-Jin Ryu in the NL.
Brad Brach took over for deGrom in the eighth and retired two batters before he allowed a base hit to Josh VanMeter and was lifted for Luis Avilan. The lefty failed to get the final out, walking Joey Votto to put runners in scoring position.
Edwin Diaz was brought in to face the opponent’s most potent bat in Eugenio Suarez. The 25-year-old got out of the jam, blowing a fastball past Suarez at 99 mph to strike him out looking.
Jeurys Familia took the rubber in the ninth and broke the shutout when he let his first batter faced – Aristides Aquino – get the best of him, knocking a 3-1 solo shot for Cincinnati’s first and only run of the evening. The veteran allowed another base runner with no outs, but with a Christian Colon fly out and Phil Ervin grounding into a double play, he got out of the jam to solidify the triumph.
Offense
It was a pitcher’s duel at the Great American Ball Park as the Mets scored the first run of the game in the sixth inning, with just one hit and two walks prior. With two outs, Jeff McNeil shot a solo homer to right field for his 23rd of the season.
In the next frame, J.D. Davis was walked and Amed Rosario sent a two-run long ball for his 14th of the season to take a 3-0 lead.
New York tacked on a few insurance runs in the eighth when a Michael Conforto single, followed by a Pete Alonso moonshot, made it 5-0. The first baseman became the first-ever Met – and only the second rookie in MLB history – to reach the fifty home run mark, along with Aaron Judge’s 52 in 2017.
Continuing the explosive offensive outing, the club stole three more runs in the ninth. Brandon Nimmo knocked a two-out base hit, and McNeil doubled to drive him in. The Reds then intentionally walked Pete Alonso to face Juan Lagares, with Pete on second after a defensive indifference and McNeil on third.
The center fielder then shot a line drive to right for a single to send in another run. With first and third, Wilson Ramos was walked to load the bases, and Conforto knocked a base hit to take a final eight-run lead.
McNeil went 3-for-5 with a walk and two runs batted in. Alonso went 1-for-4 with a walk and a homer.
On Deck
New York will look to continue their victory streak with Zack Wheeler on the mound for the club’s second game in Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon. Anthony DeSclafani (9-9, 3.93 ERA) is slated to start for the Reds. The game will begin at 4:10 PM ET.
It will be televised on WPIX and broadcast on WCBS 880 and ESPN-1050.
