The Cincinnati Reds will aim for their first home sweep of the season when they face the New York Mets on Wednesday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series.
The Reds entered the set having dropped eight of 10 games to fall a season-low four games under .500. Their fortunes have changed thanks to wins of 12-0 and 5-3 over the Mets, a team they’ve defeated four times in five games this season.
With a victory, Cincinnati can clinch its third series sweep of the season and its first since taking three in a row from the Minnesota Twins on April 17-19.
Bo Bichette has been one of the few bright spots for the Mets in the series, going 3-for-5 with two doubles in the opener and 2-for-5 in Tuesday’s contest.
But the most recent loss led to more frustration for New York manager Carlos Mendoza, who was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the seventh inning by plate umpire Carlos Torres.
Carson Benge was called out on strikes to end the sixth, and Cincinnati’s JJ Bleday walked on a relatively close pitch. With the Mets burning two unsuccessful challenges in the first two innings, they had none left.
“Obviously, I wasn’t pleased with the strike zone, especially with that Benge at-bat there,” Mendoza said. “I went back and looked at some of the pitches, and I wasn’t happy about it.”
Still, the game might have been different had the Mets retained even one of their ABS challenges. Instead, they lost their first challenge when Francisco Alvarez questioned a 2-1 pitch to Bleday in the first inning, then their second one when Marcus Semien tapped his helmet on a called third strike with the bases empty and two outs in the second.
For the Reds, star rookie Sal Stewart broke out of a 2-for-15 slump Tuesday by going 2-for-4 with a tape-measure, three-run homer and an RBI single.
“I don’t think over-swinging is the answer, I don’t think under-swinging the answer,” said Stewart, who is batting .252 with 14 homers and 47 RBIs for the season. “I think just going out there, doing whatever I need to do to get ready for the game, and then going out there and playing, and enjoying the game.
“Obviously, it’s not as enjoyable when I’m not playing good, but yeah, I feel I’m right there on the doorstep. I’ve made some adjustments, just off-field wise, and I’m right there. So, I’m excited for what’s to come.”
The Mets will send right-hander Nolan McLean (3-4, 4.01 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. He will look for revenge against a Cincinnati team that handed him one of the worst losses of his career on May 25, 7-2. It was his lone appearance against the Reds, and he gave up seven runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings.
McLean has a 1-0 mark with a 2.40 ERA over his last three outings. But control remains a concern for him, as he has issued 12 walks over that stretch — including four over four innings Friday in his last time out, against Atlanta.
The Reds will counter with left-hander Nick Lodolo (2-1, 5.21 ERA) on Wednesday. He opposed McLean on May 25 in New York and posted one of his best starts in his return from early season blister issues.
Lodolo limited the Mets to one run on six hits over six innings, striking out seven and walking none. He is 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA in three career appearances (all starts) vs. New York.
In his last four starts, Lodolo is 2-0 with a 3.91 ERA. Last Friday against Arizona, he allowed just two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings. But the bullpen allowed three runs in the ninth as the Reds fell 5-2.
–Field Level Media
