The New York Mets (33-41) bounced back in emphatic fashion Wednesday afternoon, piling up 15 hits behind a dominant start from Nolan McLean in a 9-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds (35-38) at Great American Ball Park. McLean struck out nine over six innings while the Mets’ offense broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning to avoid a series sweep.
USA vs Belgium World Cup 2026 Round of 16 Clash Builds Massive Hype Ahead of Knockout Match McLean cruised through the early innings, retiring the first seven batters he faced before working around defensive trouble in the third. An error helped Cincinnati score its lone run, but the rookie right-hander never let the game get away, allowing just three hits and one walk while lowering his ERA to 3.67. Four of his nine strikeouts came during a stretch in which he retired eight consecutive hitters.
The Mets grabbed the lead in the third inning when Juan Soto dropped a two-out RBI single into shallow center field. Marcus Semien and Mark Vientos followed with run-scoring hits to extend the advantage to 3-0.
New York put the game out of reach in the fifth. Vientos delivered a sacrifice fly before Francisco Alvarez ripped a 112.6 mph RBI single. A.J. Ewing then lined a two-run double off the wall in left-center, stretching the lead to 7-1.
Soto continued his recent surge, finishing 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Bo Bichette stayed hot as well, going 3-for-4 with a walk, RBI and two runs scored, while Alvarez collected three hits and drove in a run.
The Mets open a three-game series against Philadelphia on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Sean Manaea is expected to start for New York against Aaron Nola.
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Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.