David Peterson delivers as Mets avoid sweep with 3-2 win over Reds

The Mets scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning and defeated the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Sunday at Citi Field, ending a three-game losing streak.

Here are the top takeaways:

— The Mets gave up a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth, when Edwin Diaz plunked Spencer Steer with the bases loaded, forcing in a run. But their winning rally started in the bottom of the inning with Juan Soto working a leadoff walk.

Pete Alonso, who entered the game for defense after sitting with a bruised hand, then struck out. But Jeff McNeil doubled to the right-center gap, sending Soto to third.

Reds manager Terry Francona brought in right-handed reliever Tony Santillan, and Luis Torrens battled him in an eight-pitch at-bat, finally hitting a hard ground ball to second baseman Matt McLain with the infield playing in.

The ball handcuffed McLain just long enough for Soto, who got a good jump off third, to beat the throw to the plate and get his hand in on a head-first slide.

— After Diaz threw 16 pitches in the eighth, Ryne Stanek came on to get the save in the ninth, giving up just a one-out single.

— Coming off his All-Star appearance, David Peterson played the role of stopper, delivering a strong six innings in a game the Mets needed — at least for their mojo — after two ugly losses to the Reds and three straight, going back to the last day before the All-Star break in Kansas City.

The lefty allowed only one unearned run, in the first inning, as he surrendered only four hits, one walk and one hit-by-pitch.

As he often does, Peterson made big pitches to escape trouble. He got a double-play ground ball in the first inning and then in the second, with the bases loaded and two outs, struck out McClain swinging with a nasty slider.

As a result, Peterson lowered his ERA to 2.90.

— With Peterson at 93 pitches after six innings, manager Carlos Mendoza went to the bullpen, but as has been the case a lot lately, the bullpen failed to hold the lead.

Huascar Brazoban pitched a scoreless seventh with help from Torrens, who threw out Noelvi Marte trying to steal second, to end the inning.

Reed Garrett then got the first two outs in the eighth before walking McClain — at which point Mendoza went to Diaz for a four-out save. But Diaz promptly gave up the tying run on a walk, a single deep in the hole past Francisco Lindor and a Steer hit-by-pitch.

Diaz then escaped the bases-loaded situation by getting Tyler Stephenson to strike out swinging at a 3-2 slider.

— Reds lefty and fellow All-Star Andrew Abbott also pitched well, holding the Mets to two runs over six innings. His ERA actually went up a bit, to 2.13.

— The Mets got some much-needed production out of the bottom of the lineup, especially in the fifth as Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña combined to deliver the go-ahead run, at 2-1.

Baty, swinging the bat well lately, led off the inning with a single to left-center and then stole second. Acuña then doubled off the wall in left field, hitting a screamer at 108 mph, as Baty scored easily.

— A rare start at first base for Mark Vientos cost the Mets a run in the first inning. He was making his first start there this season — due to what Mendoza called a day-to-day hand contusion for Alonso — and he looked uncomfortable early.

On the first play of the game, Acuña ranged to his right, fielded a ground ball and then threw low to Vientos’ backhand side as it went off his glove for an error. The official scorer ruled the error on Acuña , but it should have been caught by Vientos.

The error led to a run and could have been more costly, but Peterson got Austin Hays to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. Vientos’ footwork was awkward on that throw as well, as he had to dive to his backhand side. A more experienced first baseman would have shifted his feet to make the catch.

Game MVP: David Peterson

The Mets desperately needed a strong start after a couple of ugly losses to the Reds on Friday and Saturday, and Peterson was up to the task.

If not for the first-inning error by Acuña (it should have been on Vientos), the southpaw would have pitched six shutout innings.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (56-44) will remain at Citi Field as a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels (48-50) begins with Monday's 7:10 p.m. opener on SNY. Kodai Senga (7-3, 1.39 ERA) is set to start for New York, while Los Angeles has Tyler Anderson (2-6, 4.34 ERA) in line.

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