Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets (71-39) entered the evening riding a four-game winning streak as they squared off with the Cincinnati Reds (44-64). Citi Field has been tough for opponents, and Tuesday night was no different. The club was able to extend its win streak to five games with key contributions from Jeff McNeil and Carlos Carrasco. The Mets have taken the first two of three against the Reds and will be eyeing a sweep tomorrow afternoon.

Carrasco toed the rubber Tuesday night at Citi Field for the Mets and struck out a pair of hitters in a scoreless first inning.

Mark Canha led off the bottom of the first with an infield single, followed by a Starling Marte walk. The Mets ran Reds’ starter Mike Minor‘s pitch count to 24 pitches in the first inning but failed to score.

Carrasco worked around a leadoff single in the second, striking out three total hitters through the first two frames.

The home run ball has been a concern for Minor all season long, with the veteran having given up 16 homers in 59 innings coming into the evening. With Canha leading the third inning off with a walk, Francisco Lindor sent a 2-2 changeup that caught too much plate deep to left field for a two-run homer to open the scoring. The Mets led 2-0 after three.

McNeil led off the fourth inning for the Mets and took Minor deep to right-center for a home run, his first home run against a lefthanded pitcher since 2019. (That was off Roenis Elias.)

Carrasco was dealing, racking up eight strikeouts through the first five innings, including striking out the side in the fifth inning. Carrasco effectively used his fastball, slider, and split-changeup to keep hitters off balance.

In the sixth inning, the Mets added to their lead as Darin Ruf‘s double provided the Mets with a one-out baserunner. McNeil pulled a 1-2 knuckle-curve up the middle past a diving Jonathan India to make it 4-0 Mets. Minor then exited after 5 1/3 innings and 110 pitches, allowing five hits and four earned runs while walking three and striking out three.

Carrasco worked himself into trouble in the seventh inning as he allowed four hits in the inning, highlighted by a towering two-run home run by outfielder Jake Fraley to cut the Mets’ lead in half to 4-2. Carrasco went 6 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and two earned runs while walking one and striking out nine. Mychal Givens relieved Carrasco and struck out outfielder Nick Senzel to strand two baserunners and preserve the 4-2 lead.

The Mets came to bat in the seventh inning and loaded the bases. Reds manager David Bell intentionally walked Pete Alonso to load the bases with two outs, forcing Mets manager Buck Showalter to choose between allowing Ruf to face right-handed reliever Joe Kuhnel or turning to lefty Daniel Vogelbach off the bench. Turning to Vogelbach would’ve prompted Bell to call on left-handed reliever Ross Detwiler. Well, Showalter stuck with his guy in Ruf, and he drove a ball past a diving India and into the outfield to score two runs, pushing the Mets’ lead to 6-2.

The Reds loaded the bases against reliever Trevor May in the eighth inning. With two outs and the tying run coming to the plate, Bell pinch-hit Alejo Lopez for Jose Barrero. May fired a 96-MPH fastball past Lopez to end the threat.

Seth Lugo came on in the ninth inning to protect the 6-2 Mets lead. He pitched a 1-2-3 inning, and the Mets held on to win 6-2.

Player of the Game: Jeff McNeil

McNeil has been on a tear the last couple of weeks, and Tuesday night’s game was a prime example of how hot he has been. He had two hits, including the fourth inning home run, and drove in an additional run in the sixth inning. He is slashing an impressive .355/.375/.597 three home runs and nine RBI over the last 15 games.

Final line for McNeil: 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

On Deck

The Mets will play the third and final game of their three-game series against the Reds on Wednesday afternoon at Citi Field. The first pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on SNY. The Mets will have Taijuan Walker on the mound, while the Reds will counter with T.J. Zeuch.