Mets squeak out 3-2 win over Reds for second straight victory
The Mets (2-5) won their second straight game of the season on Friday night, taking down the Cincinnati Reds (4-3) by a score of 3-2.
Here are the takeaways...
-Down 1-0 early, the Mets scratched and clawed their way back into the game without getting the big hit. In the fifth inning, after Tyrone Taylor started things off with a walk, Harrison Bader singled with one out to put runners on first and second. DJ Stewart followed with a HBP to load the bases and bring up Francisco Lindor who tied the game with a sacrifice fly. It was the only run they would push across in the inning.
Similarly in the seventh inning, New York took advantage of poor pitching and fielding by the Reds to take the lead. Three straight one-out walks by reliever Fernando Cruz loaded the bases and brought up Pete Alonso. Alonso, putting the first ball of the inning in play, grounded one up the middle where Elly De La Cruz fielded it, but was unable to get the ball out of his glove cleanly or quickly enough to second base, which brought in a run and kept the bases loaded. The Mets were unable to add on in the inning and left the bases loaded.
-Mired in a 1-for-18 slump to start the season, Jeff McNeil took out some of his frustration by unloading on a 1-0 pitch for his first home run of the season that went into the right-field seats to give New York some breathing room, which proved critical after the Reds scored a run in the ninth inning.
-In his first save opportunity of the season, Edwin Diaz allowed the first two runners on via a fielding error by himself and a walk. Christian Encarnacion-Strand then grounded one to shortstop where Lindor fielded it and decided to take it himself. However, it appeared Spencer Steer beat Lindor to the base and the Mets only got the out at first base. New York challenged the call, but it was upheld.
With runners on second and third, Jeimer Candelario hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2 and after Diaz threw a wild pitch to put the tying run at third base, he struck out Jake Fraley to end the game and give the Mets their second straight win of the season.
-After pitching on Opening Day, Jose Quintana turned in a second consecutive outing where he allowed two earned runs or fewer. This time, the left-hander went deeper into the game than his 4.2 innings at Citi Field against the Milwaukee Brewers, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing one earned run on five hits and four walks against the Reds. He struck out four.
The lone run he allowed came in the first inning when Steer took him deep two batters into the game. Quintana settled down afterwards, and despite some traffic on the basepaths for most of the night he was able to maneuver out of trouble and keep Cincinnati off the board.
-Brett Baty had a terrific game, offensively and defensively, as his good start to the season continues. Offensively, the 24-year-old went 2-for-4 as the rest of the team finished 2-for-26 against Reds starter Hunter Greene and the Cincinnati bullpen.
Defensively, the third baseman made a couple of nice plays including a diving snag on a liner in a big spot in the fifth inning. After Quintana allowed back-to-back singles to begin the frame, half an inning after New York tied the game at 1-1, Steer smoked a line drive that came off the bat at 97.6 mph that Baty dove to his left for and made the catch to keep the runners at first and second. Quintana ended up retiring the next two batters to keep the game tied.
Game MVP: Jeff McNeil
Although Baty had the best at-bats of any Met on the night, McNeil's home run in the eighth inning was the difference-maker and gave New York its second win of the season.
Honorable mention goes to the Mets bullpen (Drew Smith, Brooks Raley, Adam Ottavino and Diaz) who pitched 3.1 innings and didn't allow an earned run.
Highlights
What's next
The Mets and Reds continue their three-game series on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m.
RHP Luis Severino (0-1, 5.40 ERA) matches up against RHP Nick Martinez (0-0, 5.40 ERA).