Reeling after struggles and injuries to the bullpen over the past few days, the New York Mets needed ace Noah Syndergaard to step up big time Thursday afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds.
He was more than up for the task, both at the plate and on the bump. Syndergaard opened (and closed) the scoring with a third-inning homer off Reds starter Tyler Mahle.
From there, he pitched a near flawless nine-inning shutout — striking out 10 and giving up just four hits in the 1-0 victory.
In the process, Syndergaard became the first pitcher in Mets history to pitch a shutout while driving in the only run of the game.
The game did not end without fireworks. One day after he trolled Mets fans with a goodbye wave, Reds outfielder Jesse Winker was tossed from the game following an argument from the home plate umpire.
It’s readily apparent that Cincinnati was frustrated with the nasty stuff Syndergaard had in this game. For good reason.
Maybe this is the ace pitcher’s way of starting a turn around on the hill. Syndergaard entered Thursday’s action sporting a 1-3 record with a 6.35 ERA.