Final Score: Mets 5, Reds 3—Neil Walker's home run gives the Mets another win

The Mets beat the Reds 5-3 in the first game of a three-game series in Queens on Monday night. They scored all of their runs via the home run, and Neil Walker hit a go-ahead two-run blast in the seventh to provide the final margin. The middle of the order did their thing tonight, as Michael Conforto (3-for-3, double, walk) and Lucas Duda (2-for-4) also hit home runs. New York has now launched 26 long balls in the last 10 games, and Walker is up to eight on the season.

Noah Syndergaard got the no-decision after being challenged for the first time this year by a pesky Reds team.  Still, he pitched well enough to win, exiting after 107 pitches with two outs in the seventh and a 3-2 lead.  But he left with a runner on first who came around to score when Antonio Bastardo issued a four-pitch walk followed by a run-scoring base hit to Joey Votto to tie the game.  Logan Verrett came in to put out the fire by striking out Ivan DeJesus Jr. with two runners on to set up Walker's heroics.

Addison Reed and Jeurys Familia pitched clean frames to secure the Mets' eighth win in their last ten games. Syndergaard allowed seven singles and struck out nine while walking none, but looked a bit harried in giving up five steals while uncorking a wild pitch, a throwing error on a pickoff attempt, and a hit batsman.

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