Francisco Lindor Shines As Mets Take Series From Reds

 

  

Francisco Lindor homered, doubled and scored two runs as the New York Mets snuck out of town with a 3-1 win to take the series.

The Reds' starter, Andrew Abbott, had traffic on the base paths the first three innings.

Francisco Lindor doubled with one out in the first inning. One out later he scored on an infield hit by Francisco Alverez. Santiago Espinal fielded the ball but threw behind Abbott covering. Espinal was charged with an error as Lindor scored.

The Mets loaded the bases in the second. Abbott walked Starling Marte to start the inning. Tyrone Taylor and Jeff McNeil bunted for singles to load the bases. Harrison Bader lined to Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who made a leaping catch. Abbott got ahead of Brandon Nimmo 0-2 but hit him to force in a run.

"It was important to get out of the bases loaded situation with only one run," Abbott said. "The bunts were really well executed. Jeimer was playing over in the shift and they had the drag bunt."

In the third inning, Alvarez walked with one out. Brett Baty singled. Marte beat out a ground ball to third base to load the bases. Abbot struck out Taylor and McNeil popped to short.

Lindor hit his first home run of the season with two outs in the fourth to build a 3-0 lead for New York.

The Reds got to Sean Manaea for a run in the fourth. Jeimer Candelario walked to open the inning. Stuart Fairchild singled with Candelario moving to third base. Elly De La Cruz was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Espinal flied out to right and Candelario scored as the other two runners advanced a base. Luke Maile walked but Bubba Thompson hit into a double play.

"Andrew threw the ball really well," David Bell said. "That was probably the best he's thrown."

Abbott pitched five innings, allowing three runs (two earned). He gave up seven hits but four never left the infield. Abbott walked two and hit a batter while striking out four.

"That's the way baseball is sometimes," Abbott said.

Tejay Antone threw one pitch in relief but had to leave with an injury. Antone missed most of the last two seasons with injuries.

"Tejay felt something in his elbow," Bell said. "He will have an   today or tomorrow. We hope he will be back soon. He will get through this. He's been through a lot.great He is great person and great teammate."

Brent Suter took over and pitched three scoreless innings. Buck Farmer worked a scoreless eighth.

"It didn't pay off for us in a win but our bullpen set us up for the next couple games," Bell said. "Suter three innings today. Buck pitched two innings yesterday and had another inning today."

Manaea pitched five innings and allowed one run on three hits. He walked two and hit two batters. He struck out six, including three out of four spanning the first and second inning.

Manaea was really good today," Bell said. "He had the cutter and sweeper in to our right-handers. We had some hard hit balls but he was really pitched well."

Jorge Lopez, Brooks Raley and Adam Ottavino pitched one hitl ess inning each. Raley walked two and Lopez walked one.

Edwin Diaz struck out two to get his second save of the series.

David Bell

iAndrew Abbott

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