Field Level Media
Aug 6, 2018
Wilmer Flores celebrated another memorable birthday with the Mets on Monday night with three hits, including a pair of RBI singles, to lead host New York to a 6-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.
The Mets won for just the third time in 10 games. The Reds have lost six of seven.
Flores, who turned 27 Monday, gave the Mets a lead they'd never relinquish with an RBI single in the first. He singled again in the third and drove home another run with a single in the fourth. He is the first Mets player to have at least three hits on his birthday since Jeromy Burnitz did so on Apr. 15, 2003.
Big days on his birthday are nothing new for Flores, who signed with the Mets on his 16th birthday in 2007 and made his major league debut on his 22nd birthday in 2013.
Todd Frazier and Austin Jackson (who was 3-for-4) also had RBI singles in the first for the Mets, who extended their lead to 5-0 in the fourth when Kevin Plawecki hit a leadoff homer and Flores chased Homer Bailey with his second run-scoring hit. Jeff McNeil's third hit, a homer deep into the second deck in right field, extended New York's lead to 6-0 in the sixth.
The Mets needed most of that insurance as the Reds sent nine batters to the plate in a four-run seventh. Jose Peraza had an RBI single off winning pitcher Noah Syndergaard, and Joey Votto drew a bases-loaded walk against Bobby Wahl before Eugenio Suarez laced a two-run single off Robert Gsellman.
However, Gsellman got the final out of the seventh and tossed a perfect eighth before Jerry Blevins threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the season and the sixth of his career.
Syndergaard (7-2) gave up four runs on six hits and one walk while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings.
Votto had two hits.
Bailey (1-9) gave up five runs on 11 hits and no walks while striking out two over 3 1/3 innings. The 11 hits were the most Bailey has allowed since he gave up 12 hits against the Mets on July 28, 2011.
--Field Level Media