Stewart, Steer, and Singer Sink Senga and the Mets

Reds 5 Mets3 (Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati OH)

Mets record: 32-41

Mets streak: Lost 2

WP - Brady Singer (3-6)

LP - Kodai Senga (0-5)

SV - Tony Santillan (5)

Seat on the Korner: Sal Stewart

We select a Star of the Game and virtually invite him to take his Seat on the Korner — just as Ralph Kiner did on WOR-TV Channel 9 during the early days of the New York Mets.

Continuing the tradition of Rheingold Beer sponsoring Kiner’s Korner, this season every seat is proudly presented by The Main Event Restaurant & Sports Bar.

With locations in Plainview and Farmingdale, The Main Event features 80+ HD TVs, fresh daily seafood, and Black Angus certified steaks—so you never have to choose between great food and the big game.

Reds rookie Sal Stewart came into Tuesday night's game mired in a three-week slump. After batting .205 with just one home run in a .621 OPS in his last 21 games, it seemed like just a matter of time until the young first baseman broke out. And on this night, it didn't take long for that to happen. After Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga walked the first two Reds batters of the game, Stewart brought them home with a 3-run blast to left.

In the fifth inning, Stewart brought home an insurance run with a 1-out RBI single.

Stewart is now batting .252 on the season with an .806 OPS. His 14 home runs and 47 RBIs leads all National League rookies. And his 2-3, 4 RBI night earned him the Seat on the Korner.

Need to Know

• Kodai Senga's first major league appearance in almost 2 months got off to a rocky start. As was his trouble prior to the injury, Senga had trouble locating his pitches. He walked the first two Reds batters, then fell behind Sal Stewart, 2-1. While his fastball had good velocity in this game (repeatedly hitting 97 MPH), he was unable to throw it past Stewart who launched a 3-run home run to left. Three batters later, Reds right fielder Spencer Steer snapped a 1-29 slump with a home run of his own, increasing the lead to 4.

• One night after leaving the bases loaded in 3 separate innings, the Mets LOB-issues continued. The team went 2-11 with runners in scoring position, and left them loaded again in the 4th inning. In all the Mets left 11 runners on base.

• The Mets are now 10-8 over their last 18 games, and 22-20 over their last 42.

• Prior to the game, the Mets optioned pitcher Jonathan Pintaro to Triple-A Syracuse, and designated one-hit wonder Vidal Brujan for assignment. These moves made room for Kodai Senga to return from his rehab assignment, and for the Mets to call up recently signed infielder Zach Short.

• Following Sal Stewart's first inning home run, Reds cleanup hitter Nathaniel Lowe lined a shot to shallow center, where AJ Ewing did this...

Turning Point

After yielding 2 walks and a home run to the Reds first three hitters, Kodai Senga appeared to settle in somewhat, getting Nathaniel Lowe to line out to center (see the Ewing play above) and striking out Eugenio Suarez. It seemed possible that the Mets would get out of the first down by three with some room optimism. That changed with the next batter, however. Reds right fielder Spencer Steer worked a full count before hitting one just deep enough, and certainly high enough, to get over the fence in left center. The home run put the Reds up 4-0, and ruined any good vibes, meager as they have been, that the Mets were hoping to generate at the end of the inning.

Three Keys

Pen-tastic

As has been the case for much of the season, the Mets were able to rely on the bullpen tonight to give their offense a chance to claw back into the game. The combination of Cionel Perez, Austin Warren, Huascar Brazoban, and Luke Weaver gave up just 4 hits and 1 run over 4 innings, while striking out 8 while walking 1.

Brazoban lowered his ERA over his last 25 games to 1.21. While Weaver struck out all 3 batters he faced in the bottom of the 8th. Weaver has not allowed a run in his last 17 appearances (19 innings) while allowing 10 hits, 4 walks, and striking out 22 over that span.

On the season, the Mets bullpen has a 3.36 collective ERA. Their 324 strikeouts is best in the majors.

Bo-nus Time

Bo Bichette went 2-5 with two singles and an RBI.

Making His Mark

In the sixth inning, Mark Vientos hit a pinch hit 2-run home run to the Great American Ballpark's upper deck in left field, to make the score 5-3.

The home run was his 8th of the season, and the first pinch-hit home run in his career.