Mets Beat Reds 2-1 Behind Stellar Start from Verlander

Mets RHP Justin Verlander (Photo Credits to Katie Stratman-USA Today Sports)

 The New York Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-1 tonight at Great American Ball Park to snap their three-game losing streak and improved their record to 18-19.

After a scoreless top of the first, 1B Pete Alonso tied the game up with a solo homer in the second for his 13th homer of the season which leads the Majors.

In the top of the fourth with two outs, 2B Luis Guillorme doubled, catcher Francisco Alvarez walked and then CF Brandon Nimmo drove in Guillorme with a RBI single.

RHP Justin Verlander got off to a tough start in the bottom of the first after he gave up a lead-off single to 2B Jonathan India and later in the inning a RBI double for LF Jake Fraley.

Verlander settled down after that in the bottom of the second and retired the next eight hitters he faced before giving up a walk in the bottom of the fourth.

He cruised the rest of the way and wound up retiring 15 out of the last 16 hitters he faced.

Verlander was still throwing hard in the bottom of the seventh up to 97 mph on his fastball and finished strong with two strikeouts in the inning and was able to preserve his energy to have a lot of velocity in the later innings and throw harder as the game went on.

His final line was seven innings, two hits, one run, two walks and seven strikeouts.

Verlander had sharp command and mixed in all of his pitches well with his fastball, curveball, change-up and slider.

He picked up his first win and lowered his ERA to 2.25.

RHP Adam Ottavino followed with a scoreless bottom of the eighth.

RHP David Robertson closed it out with a scoreless bottom of the ninth and picked up his seventh save.

The Mets next game is tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, May 11 at the Reds at 12:35 p.m.