Vargas throws shutout, Cano re-injures quad
NEW YORK — Jason Vargas pitched his first shutout in two years, Amed Rosario hit a three-run homer and the New York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants 7-0 on Wednesday night despite losing Robinson Cano hours after his return from the injured list.
Michael Conforto and Adeiny Hechavarria each had a solo homer for the Mets, who ended a threegame skid with their second win in seven games.
Cano played for the first time since straining his left quadriceps May 22 but was pulled at the start of the fifth inning with tightness in the muscle. He favored the leg running to first base on a rally-killing double play in the third.
Vargas (2-3) was maligned by Mets fans as an unworthy No. 5 starter coming into the season, but he’s been stellar lately, allowing one run or fewer in seven of his past eight starts. The 36-year-old lefty struck out a season-best eight, allowed five hits and a walk, and threw 117 pitches — his most in five years. His previous high this season was 98.
Tyler Beede (0-2) allowed six runs (five earned) in five innings for the Giants, who had won three straight.
The Mets have homered in 12 consecutive home games, a first at Citi Field. Conforto hit a leadoff shot in the fourth and Rosario’s drive made it 5-0, all before Beede got the first out of the inning. Conforto drove in another run an inning later with a sacrifice fly, and Hechavarria hit a leadoff homer in the seventh.
Vargas let the leadoff man on in three of the first four innings but dodged trouble each time. He faced the minimum over innings five through eight, then worked around Donovan Solano’s single to finish the ninth.
First baseman Pete Alonso gave Vargas the ball and a big hug after the final out of his eighth career shutout and 13th complete game. His previous shutout came on June 2, 2017, for Kansas City against Cleveland.
It was New York’s second complete game this season — Noah Syndergaard shut out Cincinnati on May 2.
Beede was coming off his best start in the majors, going six innings in a 3-1 win against Miami. The 2014 first-round pick is still seeking his first major league win.
Jeff McNeil had three hits for New York in his second game since coming off the injured list.
IN-N-OUT
Cano said he would be cautious to avoid re-injury, but it didn’t take much to tweak his quad. He jogged easily on an RBI groundout in the first inning and showed no signs of trouble. Two innings later, he limped coming out of the box on a bases-loaded double play, getting beaten to the bag by about a step to end the inning.
Hechavarria replaced him at second base to begin the fifth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: C Buster Posey was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain, retroactive to June 2. Posey was injured running out a grounder Saturday, and San Francisco had hoped he could avoid the IL. Manager Bruce Bochy said he is hopeful Posey will be activated when he’s eligible. … RHP Trevor Gott was activated from the IL after dealing with a forearm strain. … LHP Derek Holland was struck by a liner from Carlos Gomez in the eighth but declined to speak with a trainer and said he was fine.
Mets: OF Aaron Altherr was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Cano.
UP NEXT
Giants RHP Shaun Anderson (1-1, 4.09 ERA) faces RHP Zack Wheeler (5-3, 4.68) in a noon matinee Thursday to wrap up the three-game series.