The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Megill shines for Mets, beats D’backs
PHOENIX — Tylor Megill threw 6 impressive innings, Francisco Lindor added a pair of hits and the New York Mets beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-2 on Sunday.
The Mets took two of three games against the D-backs for their fifth straight series win to start the season, matching a franchise record set in 2018.
It was another good showing for New York’s starting pitching, which came into the game with an 8-2 record and a 2.44 ERA. The right-handed Megill (3-0) gave up two runs on four hits, walking one. He struck out seven, at times overpowering the Diamondbacks with a fastball that sat in the 96-97 mph range all afternoon.
The Diamondbacks didn’t do much at the plate, with one notable exception. Arizona tied it at 1 in the fourth on Christian Walker’s 467-foot solo shot to left-center that landed on the concourse behind the seats.
It was the second-longest homer of his career, behind a 479-footer he hit off Clayton Kershaw in 2018.
Arizona got another good start from veteran lefthander Madison Bumgarner, who gave up one unearned run over five innings, allowing up four hits and striking out four. The four-time All-Star has a 1.00 ERA through his first four outings.
The Mets took control against the D-backs’ bullpen, scoring one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh for a 4-1 lead. New York took advantage of three Arizona errors that led to two unearned runs.
New York’s J.D. Davis added a solo homer, his first of the season. Arizona’s J.B. Wendelken (0-1) took the loss after giving up one run in one inning of relief.
PREDICTION? PAIN.
James McCann and Starling Marte were both hit by pitches on Sunday, bringing the Mets’ season total to an MLB-high 14.
At least the HBPs were useful. Both players were hit during the seventh inning as the Mets scored twice.
Even the team’s pitchers weren’t immune from the pain. Reliever Seth Lugo took a lined shot from Daulton Varsho off his foot in the eighth. The ball bounced back to McCann, and the catcher was able to throw Varsho out at first. Lugo wasn’t hurt and stayed in the game.
SLOPPY
It was another poor defensive game for the Dbacks.
Arizona came into the game with 15 errors, which was the second most in the league.
Third baseman Sergio Alcantara made two of the errors while catcher Jose Herrera’s errant throw to third base on a stolen base attempt was No. 3 and scored Marte.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: Manager Buck Showalter clarified to reporters that RHP Jacob deGrom (shoulder) actually had a CT scan on Friday instead of an MRI. A follow-up MRI is scheduled for Monday.
Diamondbacks: Placed RHP Humberto Castellanos on paternity leave and called up RHP Taylor Widener from Triple-A Reno.
UP NEXT
The Mets travel to face the St. Louis Cardinals for a three-game series starting Monday. RHP Max Scherzer (3-0, 2.50 ERA) is on the mound for New York. St. Louis will counter with RHP Miles Mikolas (1-0, 1.76)
The Diamondbacks host a three-game series with the Dodgers starting Monday. RHP Merrill Kelly (1-0, 0.59) takes the mound for Arizona. RHP Walker Buehler (1-1, 4.02) is scheduled to pitch for the Dodgers.