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 Wednesday night, beating 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, No. 6 hitter Nick Senzel, went down easily in three pitches. Senzel failed to catch up to the fastball — coming in at 96 miles per hour — and struck out swinging on a breaking ball that made the third baseman look silly.
Verlander went 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 pitched into the seventh inning this season. Joey Lucchesi did it first in a 7-0 victory 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 hit by outfielder Jake Fraley.
Pete Alonso evened 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 it 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. He 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 night in a row, pitched in relief and allowed no hits in one inning of work.
David Robertson entered in the ninth to record his seventh save of the season.
Reds starter Hunter Greene gave up six hits, four walks, two earned 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 carries a 3.69 ERA.
Catcher Gary Sanchez went 2-for-4, hitting cleanup in his first appearance with the Mets Triple-A Syracuse affiliate on Wednesday. The former Yankee inked a minor league contract with the Mets Tuesday.
The former All-Star landed in Syracuse after exercising his May 1 opt-out with the San Francisco Giants since the club elected not to add him to their 40-man roster.
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