SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
The New York Mets, a pre-season pick to reach the postseason, haven’t enjoyed much of a start, but on Wednesday night they rode the arm of Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander.
On the road against the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ballpark, right-hander Verlander made his second start after being sidelined with a shoulder strain, and in the masterful 2-1 win, became the 21st hurler to defeat all 30 Major League teams.
With Cincinnati scoring once in the first on a walk and two hits, New York tied it in the second when Major League leader Pete Alonso lifted a slider from starter Hunter Greene into the left field stands for his 13th of the campaign.
In the top of the fourth, the Mets tallied the lead run when Brandon Nimmo singled to right field to score Francisco Alvarez.
Verlander, now 1-1, maintained the advantage for 7.1 innings, striking out seven, walking two, and did not allow another hit after the first frame. Righthanders Adam Ottavino and David Robertson worked the final two frames.
New York came away with 10 hits, three by Nimmo and two each from Daniel Vogelbach and Luis Guillorme. It played errorless ball and the home side committed one.
“I’m happy to say I felt fine today,” said the 40-year-old Verlander whose 43.4 million contract is more than that of the Reds entire 26-man active roster. “Hopefully, it can get us going.”
Well, the orange and blue did gain a game on the National League’s East Division leading Atlanta Braves, and are seven games behind after Atlanta lost 7-2 at home Wednesday to the Boston Red Sox.
The previous night in Cincinnati, New York almost rallied from a 6-1 deficit before falling 7-6, but the game prior to that, its Japanese rookie righty Kodai Senga pitched two-hit ball in a six-inning stint at the Colorado Rockies that brought a 1-0 triumph.
But these Mets still need to overcome an 18-19 start that includes eight defeats in the last 11 games. They are now 11-11 on the road and 7-8 at Citi Field, so they can look forward to more time at Flushing Meadow.
Thursday, they have a 10:35 a.m. start in Cincinnati.
This was a tight contest that no doubt had the Reds looking to add to their first inning run versus last year’s American League Cy Young winner Verlander.
So in the first with a run in and runners on first and third with two out, New York’s rookie catcher Francisco Alvarez saw batter Nick Senzel watch a pitch out of the strike zone at the same time Tyler Stevenson took a lead off first, but when Stevenson paused before coming back, Alvarez fired down to Alonso at first for the third out.
From there, only Stevenson reached base against Verlander when he coaxed a two-out walk in the last of the fourth on a 3-2 count and Verlander then picked him off.
Not bad for the ageless hurler who the Mets signed prior to this season. On that list of other pitchers that have beaten every team is teammate Max Scherzer.
In that New York fourth, Luis Guillorme had a one-out single into short right, and Alvarez singled to left and took third after Guillorme scored.
The 3-time Cy Young winner Verlander took care of the rest.
