CINCINNATI (AP) — Justin Verlander pitched seven innings of two-hit ball for his first victory with the Mets, and Pete Alonso hit his major league-leading 13th home run as New York squeezed out a 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.
Brandon Nimmo had three hits for the Mets, including a go-ahead single in the fourth to help New York win for only the fourth time in 16 games.
Cincinnati had been the only major league team Verlander had never beaten. The three-time Cy Young Award winner became the 21st pitcher in big league history with at least one win against every current team. He joins teammate Max Scherzer, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke as the only active pitchers with at least one win against every team.
Verlander (1-1), who signed a two-year deal worth almost $87 million during the offseason, retired 18 of the last 19 batters he faced in his second start for the Mets after returning from a muscle strain in his upper back. He struck out seven and walked two as the Mets (18-19) snapped a three-game skid. They had lost six of the last seven.
Adam Ottavino pitched a perfect eighth before David Robertson struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his seventh save in seven opportunities.
Reds right-hander Hunter Greene (0-3), in his fourth start since signing a $53 million, six-year contract on April 17, stranded six baserunners in six innings, but he allowed just two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and a season-high four walks. He also hit a batter with a pitch.
All three of his losses have come in his last four games, but he’s had a 3.09 ERA over that stretch.
Alonso drove Greene’s first pitch of the second inning into left field for his second solo homer in two nights.
The Mets took a 2-1 lead in the fourth with a two-out rally sparked by the bottom of the fourth. Luis Guillorme doubled to right, Francisco Álvarez walked and Nimmo delivered an RBI single.
The Reds (15-21) grabbed a first-inning lead on Jonathan India’s leadoff single and Jake Fraley’s two-out double into the right-field corner. That was their final hit of the night.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: C Tomás Nido was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sunday, with dry eye syndrome. … C Michael Pérez was promoted from Triple-A Syracuse … RHP Elieser Hernández (right shoulder strain) was transferred to the 60-day IL … LHP Brooks Raley (left elbow inflammation) was sent on a rehab assignment to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies.
UP NEXT
Reds LHP Nick Lodolo’s scheduled start on Thursday was pushed back to Saturday, and manager David Bell hadn’t decided on Thursday’s starter. RHP Kodai Senga (4-1) goes for the Mets.