The New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers finished up their three-time series with a day-night doubleheader at Citi Field. New York took the opener 4-3 in eight innings while Milwaukee dominated the nightcap with a 5-0 victory.
McNeil the hero as Mets take Game One
In a pitching matchup between the two best pitchers in the National League, Corbin Burnes of the Brewers and Jacob DeGrom of the Mets, it was Luis Urias who touched the New York ace with a home run to lead off the game.
The Mets got that run right back as Brandon Nimmo doubled to lead off the bottom of the first and Francisco Lindor singled him home to make it 1-1. After that, both pitchers cruised, DeGrom retiring 13 straight Milwaukee hitters, Burnes scattering three hits through 4 2/3 innings from the first through the sixth.
Jace Peterson blasted a 426-foot home run to center field to put the Brewers back in front 2-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Pete Alonso doubled to center and Jeff McNeil reached on an infield single, pinch-runner Billy McKinney to third. After reliever Devin Williams hit Michael Conforto, he got Luis Guillorme to ground out to second.
After DeGrom got through the seventh, Josh Hader came on for the save, having converted 24 straight opportunities. With one out, pinch-hitter Jose Peraza tied the game with a solo homer to center.
Milwaukee re-took the lead in the top of the eighth. With Peterson placed at second to start the inning, Edwin Diaz, who relieved DeGrom, walked Tyrone Taylor and Urias before hitting Christian Yelich to force in the go-ahead run.
New York had one final rally in them against Brent Suter, who had not saved a game since high school. Lindor started the inning on second, Smith was hit by a pitch and James McCann walked. That stage for McNeil, who took a 2-1 curveball and stroked it up the middle to score Lindor or Smith.
Diaz took the win to improve to 3-2 while Suter suffered the loss to drop to 8-4. DeGrom went seven, striking out ten, including his 1,500th, the second fastest in major league history to reach that mark. Burnes pitched the first 5 2/3, striking out eight and lowering his ERA to 2.36.
Brewers dominate Game Two to avoid sweep
In the nightcap, Brett Anderson and three relievers combined on a three-hitter to salvage the final game of the series. The lefty went the first four, giving up all three hits, but never really getting in any serious trouble.
Robert Stock made his first start for the Mets after being acquired by Chicago. Milwaukee threatened immediately as Yelich drew a one-out walk and Rowdy Tellez singled, but Stock got Taylor to hit into a fielder's choice.
The Brewers got the only runs they would need an inning later as Manny Pina homered with one out and one on. Anderson induced double plays after giving up hits in the second and fourth while the sixth would prove to be the decisive inning.
Willy Adames made it 3-0 with a solo homer off of Drew Smith, but reliever Brad Boxberger walked Nimmo, McNeil and Jonathan Villar to load the bases with no outs. He promptly escaped the jam by striking out Lindor, Smith and Alonso.
Against Miguel Castro, Milwaukee tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh as he hit Jackie Bradley Jr., who moved up to second on a wild pitch. Urias bookended the day with a two-run shot for the final margin.
Jake Cousins picked up his first major league win, pitching a scoreless fifth in relief of Anderson while Stock dropped to 0-2.
Next series for the Mets
The Mets will end the first half of the season with a four-game series against Pittsburgh. The series opener was rained out on Thursday, so Friday is now the first game of the series with J.T. Brubaker facing Marcus Stroman.