Jeff McNeil, Austin Jackson and birthday-boy Wilmer Flores combined for nine hits, a homer and four RBIs to lead the Mets past the Reds, 6-4, on Monday night at Citi Field.
For a full box score of the game, click here.
Things you should know about tonight's game...
1) Flores and Jackson each had RBI hits during New York's three-run first inning. They both added two more singles and an RBI apiece to help the Mets open a 5-0 lead. McNeil singled twice and went deep in the sixth for his second big league home run. The 26-year-old has eight hits in his last 12 at-bats (.667) with two doubles, a homer and two RBIs. He's hitting .364 (12-for-33) through his first 12 games in the Majors.
2) Kevin Plawecki went deep, Michael Conforto singled twice and Amed Rosario scored twice for the Mets, who rapped out 16 hits. Todd Frazier drove in a run with a single in the first.
3) Noah Syndergaard took a four-hit shutout into the seventh before finding trouble that ultimately led to four runs crossing home. The right-hander got a quick first out but plunked consecutive batters and allowed back-to-back singles that got the Reds on the board. Bobby Wahl allowed two more runs to score which were both charged to Syndergaard (7-2), who gave had given up three runs or fewer in 13 consecutive starts. He surrendered four runs on four hits and a walk while striking out six to win for the fourth time in five decisions.
4) Robert Gsellman struck out a pair in 1 1/3 innings and Jerry Blevins picked up his first save of the year with a perfect ninth.
News and notes...
The Mets have won 20 of their last 25 games against the Reds since Sept. 7, 2014, including a 12-2 mark at Citi Field.
Mets, lost 5 of 6, 20-43 in its last 63 games, 10- 25 in their last 35 home games...Overall, the Mets are 22-36 at home this year, the second-worst winning percentage (.379) in the National League, behind San Diego (.357).
Jackson is 11-for-25 (.440) with two homers and five RBIs in nine games with the Mets.
Conforto improved to 19-for-58 (.328) since the All-Star break and 22-for-70 (.314) with four homers, four doubles, 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored in his last 20 games.
Jackson's two-out, RBI single in the first ended the Mets' 0-for-29 streak with two outs and runners in scoring position. It was the second-longest stretch in club history. Flores added another two-out, run-scoring hit in the fourth.
Syndergaard improved to 4-0 in five career starts against the Reds. He snapped a streak of three consecutive starts of five strikeouts or fewer, which was the longest of his career (excluding his cameo appearances after returning from a partial tear in his right lat last season).
What's next...
The Mets (46-64) look to take the series from the Reds (49-64) on Tuesday night at Citi Field at 7 p.m. on SNY.
Jason Vargas (2-7, 8.23 ERA/6.16 FIP, 42 K, 1.787 WHIP) tries once again to pitch into the sixth inning for the first time this season. The southpaw surrendered four runs over five innings in a loss to the Braves last Thursday, his fourth consecutive defeat. Since returning from a month-long trip to the disabled list, Vargas has allowed seven runs on nine hits and seven walks in 9 1/3 innings. The Reds reached him for four runs over four frames on May 8, boosting his ERA in three career matchups with Cincinnati to 6.28.
Sal Romano (6-9, 5.12 ERA/5.24 FIP, 82 Ks, 1.422 WHIP) looks to bounce back from a loss to the Tigers in his most recent start last Wednesday when he allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings. It marked the 11th time in 21 starts the 24-year-old has surrendered four runs or more. Romano turned in one of his best outings of the season against the Mets on May 9, limiting them to one run over six innings. He owns a 3.18 ERA and one win in three career meetings with New York.