Mets Series Review Sweeping the Reds
After winning four of five against the Braves, the New York Mets had to be on guard of a letdown facing the Reds. However, the Reds brought little excitement after extending emotion and their bullpen. Though one look at the Reds, you would see a team that had been playing good baseball as they had a winning record in July and have played near .500 since their 3-22 start, allowing themselves to climb out of last place in the Central Division.
Chris Bassitt made the start in the opener, as Justin Dunn got the call for Cincinnati. Dunn made his season debut after being acquired from the Mariners in the offseason. He had been drafted by the Mets in 2016 and sent to Seattle in the deal that acquired Edwin Diaz. The Mets wasted little time taking the lead as Starling Marte hit a two-run home run in the first inning. Daniel Vogelbach added an RBI single in the third, making it 3-0.
The Reds scored an unearned run in the fourth and began a singles parade against Chris Bassitt. However, the Mets' starter proved elusive as the Reds stranded 11 runners on base. Knowing that the bullpen was taxed and that Edwin Diaz needed a night off, Bassitt was able to give the Mets eight innings, allowing eight hits with eight strikeouts. The Mets put the game to sleep in the eighth inning as Tyler Naquin ripped a two-run triple. Adam Ottavino finished the game, allowing one hit and one walk as the Mets won 5-1.
On Tuesday, Carlos Carrasco took the mound after a one-hour rain delay. The Mets took the lead in the third inning on a two-run home run by Francisco Lindor. They added a run in the fourth inning on a home run by Jeff McNeil and a fourth run in the sixth on an RBI single by McNeil. Carrasco again was Costco cookies, looking strong for the first six innings before wearing down in the seventh. He struck out nine batters and had a shutout until Jake Fraley hit a two-run home run to cut the Mets' lead in half. Carlos Carrasco left the game with one runner on base, allowing seven hits in six and two-thirds innings.
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Mychal Givens ended the Reds' threat by striking out Nick Senzel. The Mets answered the Reds' two runs as Darrin Ruf singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. Trevor May pitched the eighth, walking two batters to load the bases, but struck out pinch hitter Alejo Lopez to end the inning. Seth Lugo ended the game with a perfect ninth as the Mets won 6-2.
In the finale on Wednesday, the Mets had Taijuan Walker looking to rebound from his terrible start against the Braves on Friday. The Reds had T.J. Zeuch making his season debut, getting the start as they prepared to play in the Field of Dreams Game on Thursday. Zeuch had Reds fans crying "Zoinks" as the Mets jumped out to a 5-0 lead, scoring two in the first and three in the second inning. Pete Alonso started the scoring with an RBI single, while Jeff McNeil hit a sac-fly that scored Francisco Lindor. The run was the 13th straight game that Lindor had scored in, equaling a franchise record held by David Wright. In the third, Lindor drove in two runs, with Daniel Vogelbach adding an RBI single.
The Mets continued to pour it on in the third inning as Tyler Naquin homered against the team that traded him to the Mets two weeks ago. The Reds got on the board with two runs in the fourth, as Taijuan Walker allowed two runs on five hits while striking out five in six innings. The Mets, though, were not done scoring, adding a run in the fifth and three in the sixth as they throttled the Reds 10-2.
The Mets end the series with a seven-game lead as the Braves swept the incompetent Red Sox. During the three games against the Reds, the Mets took care of business, never trailing in the series as they scored in the first inning twice and outscored Cincinnati 21-5. The Mets concluded their season-long 11-game homestand with a three-game series against the Phillies. When the Mets last saw Philadelphia, they were reeling under Joe Girardi, but now they are soaring and in the playoff picture, just three games behind the Braves. The Phillies have been fattening up on the Nationals and Marlins but are firing on all cylinders; the Mets will need to be at their best as they look to make another statement at Citi Field.
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