Verlander, Mets beat Reds

Thanks to a great start by Justin Verlander, the Mets beat the Reds by a 2-1 score this evening in Cincinnati. The win snapped a three-game losing skid and gave the Mets just their third win in their last eleven games.

Verlander went seven innings—a near-miracle for a Mets starting pitcher lately—and gave up just one run on two hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Through two starts with the Mets, he now has a 2.25 ERA.

That lone run that Verlander allowed scored in the first inning, but neither he nor the Mets’ bullpen duo of Adam Ottavino and David Robertson allowed the Reds to score again. And the Mets answered the run nearly immediately, as Pete Alonso hit a no-doubt home run in the top of the second to tie the game.

The only other run of the game scored in the top of the fourth. Luis Guillorme hit a two-out double and came around to score a couple of batters later when Brandon Nimmo singled. That wound up being the difference in the game.

The Mets and Reds will play the rubber game of the series at 12:35 PM EDT tomorrow.

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What’s WPA?

Big Mets winner: Justin Verlander, +41.4% WPA
Big Mets loser: Francisco Lindor, -18.9% WPA
Mets pitchers: +78.6% WPA
Mets hitters: -28.6% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Brandon Nimmo hits a go-ahead single in the fourth, +12.5% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Jake Faley doubles in a run in the first, -10.7% WPA