Justin Verlander finally gave the Mets an outing that went deep into the game — a performance his team desperately needed.
The Mets bounced back from a three-game losing streak on Wednesday night to beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-1, led by their 40-year-old ace.
It was a performance that resembled his 2022 American League Cy Young Award-winning season. The former Astro was dominant and finished strong. He retired 18 of the last 19 Reds batters he faced. The righty struck out four of the last five batters in his outing.
The last batter Verlander faced, hitter no. 6 Nick Senzel, fell easily on three pitches. Senzel couldn’t get a hold of the fastball — coming in at 96 miles per hour — and struck out swinging at a breaking ball that made the third baseman look silly.
Verlander pitched seven strong innings, allowing just two hits, one earned run, two walks and striking out seven batters. Wednesday’s performance was just the second time a Mets starter has pitched into the seventh inning this season. Joey Lucchesi did it first in a 7-0 win over the San Francisco Giants last month.
The night started with some trouble in the bottom of the first, with Verlander giving up a leadoff single to second baseman Jonathan India. India later scored on a double by outfielder Jake Fraley.
Pete Alonso tied the score in the next frame after hitting his 13th homer of the season to left field. It was Alonso’s second homer in as many days and gave the slugger the major league lead in home runs.
Brandon Nimmo’s RBI single gave the Mets a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Enjoyed a three-hit night, which is a nice bounce-back game after going 0-for-4 in Tuesday’s loss.
Adam Ottavino, for the second straight night, pitched in relief and didn’t allow a hit in one inning of work.
David Robertson entered the ninth to record his seventh save of the season.
Reds starter Hunter Greene gave up six hits, four walks, two earned runs and struck out four batters in 5.1 innings of work. The former No. 2 overall pick suffered his third loss of the season and has a 3.69 ERA.
GARY BACK IN NY
Catcher Gary Sanchez went 2 for 4 with an RBI while hitting cleanly in his first appearance with the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate Syracuse on Wednesday. The former Yankee signed a minor league contract with the Mets on Tuesday.
The former All-Star landed in Syracuse after exercising his waiver on May 1 with the San Francisco Giants as the club opted not to add him to their 40-man roster.
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