There hasn’t been a greater signal for the Mets over the season’s first 21 video games than the obvious return of their ace.
Kodai Senga isn’t placing out batters on the charge seen two years in the past, however getting swing in opposition to him stays a problem.
Saturday was a chief instance, with the Cardinals going and not using a hard-hit ball in opposition to the right-hander, as computed by Statcast.
Senga went a 3rd straight begin with out permitting a run, serving to the Mets to a 3-0 victory at Citi Discipline.
The Mets will attempt for a four-game collection sweep on Sunday.
The victory got here with a casualty for the Mets, as Mark Vientos exited the sport with groin discomfort earlier than the beginning of the fifth inning.
Total, Senga’s scoreless streak is eighteen ²/₃ innings, a stretch by which he’s allowed 12 hits and struck out 12.
Final season, Senga began just one sport for the Mets within the common season due to numerous illnesses, however he’s regained the shape he displayed throughout a powerful 2023 rookie marketing campaign.
On today he lasted 5 ²/₃ innings and allowed three hits with 4 strikeouts and two walks.
Senga peaked at 97.4 mph together with his four-seam fastball and obtained seven swings and misses on his “ghost fork.”
Senga, at 89 pitches, was eliminated with two outs within the sixth, after drilling Nolan Arenado to present the Cardinals runners on the corners.
Luisangel Acuña’s double main off the third ignited a two-run rally that gave the Mets a 2-0 lead.
After the scorching Acuña prolonged his hitting streak to seven video games, Juan Soto delivered an RBI single.
Pete Alonso’s ensuing double introduced within the second run in opposition to lefty Matthew Liberatore.
Senga escaped a risk within the second, when he struck out Nolan Gorman and retired Yohel Pozo for the third out, leaving runners stranded at second and third.
Within the fifth, Brett Baty — who had entered the sport at third base for Vientos initially of the inning — nailed Thomas Saggese making an attempt to attain from third on Pozo’s grounder.
Saggese’s second double of the sport and Senga’s wild pitch gave the Cardinals a runner at third base with no one out.
Senga walked Lars Nootbaar main off the sixth and surrendered a single to Willson Contreras earlier than getting Brendan Donovan to hit right into a double play began by Acuña.
However with an opportunity to finish the inning, Senga hit Arenado, prompting supervisor Carlos Mendoza to summon Reed Garrett to report the ultimate out.
After Garrett pitched a scoreless seventh, A.J. Minter walked the bases loaded within the eighth.
The lefty escaped by getting Alec Burleson to hit a grounder that Lindor fielded on the run behind second base earlier than spinning and unloading his throw to first base.
Alonso launched a homer to left discipline within the ninth for the Mets’ closing run.
The blast, which reached the second deck in left — touring an estimated 443 toes — was Alonso’s sixth this season.
Edwin Díaz obtained the ultimate three outs for his fifth save.
