Queens, NY — Nolan McLean is already making a name for himself in Queens. The 24-year-old rookie right-hander delivered another dominant performance on Wednesday night, pitching eight shutout innings in a 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, as the Mets completed a three-game sweep at Citi Field.
With the victory, McLean (3-0) became the first pitcher in Mets history to win his first three MLB starts. He was nearly untouchable, allowing just four hits, issuing no walks, and striking out six on 95 efficient pitches. His ERA now sits at a stunning 0.89.
After giving up a second-inning single to Alec Bohm, McLean retired 15 straight batters and didn’t allow another base runner until a Bryce Harper single in the seventh. He escaped his only jam in the eighth—after back-to-back singles to open the frame—by calmly retiring the next three hitters to preserve the shutout. His fiery reaction as he left the mound was met with a roaring ovation from the 41,893 in attendance.
Brooks Raley came on in the ninth to finish off the five-hit shutout.
On the offensive side, Mark Vientos powered the Mets with three RBIs, including a two-run homer in the seventh. He also chipped in an RBI single in the fifth. Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso each had run-scoring hits during a third-inning rally that saw New York open with five straight knocks against Phillies starter Taijuan Walker (4-7). Walker, facing his former team, lasted five innings and was charged with four runs on 10 hits.
Brandon Nimmo paced the offense with a three-hit night, part of a 12-hit effort from New York.
The Big Picture:
The Mets are red-hot, now 8-3 since McLean’s debut on August 16. They’ve moved within four games of the NL East-leading Phillies and now hold a 4.5-game lead over Cincinnati for the final NL Wild Card spot.
New York has now won 7 of 9 games against Philadelphia this season, locking up the season series and the head-to-head postseason tiebreaker. They’ll meet again in a four-game set in Philly from September 8–11.
Stat of the Series:
The Mets went an incredible 21-for-37 (.568) with runners in scoring position during the three-game set. They’ve now won 10 straight and 24 of their last 30 home games against the Phillies, including the playoffs.
What’s Next:
Phillies: Aaron Nola (2-7, 6.52 ERA) takes the mound Thursday night vs. the Atlanta Braves.
Mets: Clay Holmes (11-6, 3.60 ERA) will start against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field.
