Mets 4, Reds 3
NEW YORK -- Pinch-hitter Yoenis Cespedes tied the score with a three-run homer on the first pitch he saw in four days and David Wright laced the go-ahead RBI single three batters later as the New York Mets stormed back in the seventh inning Tuesday night to beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 at Citi Field.
The Mets (12-7) have won four in a row and 10 of their last 12. The Reds (9-12) have lost three straight and 11 of their last 15.
Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan allowed just one hit in the first five innings and carried a three-hit shutout into the seventh.
After striking out leadoff batter Wilmer Flores, Finnegan walked Juan Lagares and gave up a single to Kevin Plawecki.
Lucas Duda stepped into the on-deck circle to pinch-hit for pitcher Logan Verrett as Reds manager Bryan Price went to the mound to talk to Finnegan.
As Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" blasted out of the loudspeakers, Price chose to stay with Finnegan and Mets manager Terry Collins pulled the left-handed hitting Duda in favor of the right-handed hitting Cespedes, who hadn't played since Friday because of a badly bruised leg.
With the crowd of 26,978 already roaring, Cespedes lined Finnegan's first pitch off the orange home run line atop the left field fence.
Curtis Granderson greeted reliever and eventual losing pitcher Tony Cingrani with a triple and scored on Wright's two-out single to left.
Verrett threw two scoreless innings to pick up the win for the second straight night. Addison Reed threw a hitless eighth and Jeurys Familia worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save of the season.
The Reds took their 3-0 lead via a third-inning sacrifice fly by Joey Votto and a two-run homer by Ivan DeJesus in the fourth.
Four players -- Zack Cozart, Tyler Holt, Adam Duvall and Tucker Barnhart -- had two hits apiece for Cincinnati.
Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon allowed three runs, eight hits and one walk while striking out four in five innings. He became the 136th pitcher to reach 3,000 career innings upon getting the second out of the first inning.
Finnegan allowed the three runs, five hits and three walks while striking out five in 6 1/3 innings.
NOTES: The Mets placed C Travis d'Arnaud (right shoulder) on the 15-day disabled list and purchased the contract of C Rene Rivera from Triple-A Las Vegas. It is the fourth trip to the disabled list in three seasons for d'Arnaud, who was victimized for five stolen bases in as many attempts before leaving Monday's game. To make room on the 40-man roster for Rivera, the Mets transferred RHP Zack Wheeler (Tommy John surgery) to the 60-day DL. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips (shin, ring finger) didn't start. He endured a painful at-bat in the fourth inning on Monday, when he fouled two balls off his shin before being hit on the left ring finger by a pitch from Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard. ... Reds RF Jay Bruce and his wife welcomed their first child, a boy, on Monday night.