Plawecki, Cabrera, spark Mets to win vs. Reds
NEW YORK -- Kevin Plawecki hit a long two-run homer in the second inning Saturday night and Asdrubal Cabrera factored into a pair of insurance rallies for the New York Mets in a 6-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.
The Mets (63-79) have won the first three contests of the four-game series from the Reds (61-82) and has won four straight overall -- their longest winning streak since a four-game run from July 19-22.
Plawecki's home run into the second deck in left -- his second round-tripper in 13 games since he was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Aug. 19 -- gave the Mets a 2-1 lead they nursed until the sixth, when Cabrera led off with a double, took third on Brandon Nimmo's groundout and scored on Dominic Smith's two-out single to extend the Mets' lead to 3-1.
The Mets put the game away in the seventh, when Reds starter Homer Bailey was chased after opening the inning by hitting Matt Reynolds with a pitch and walking pitcher Jacob deGrom, who was serving as a pinch-hitter.
Jose Reyes laid down a sacrifice against Michael Lorenzen before Nori Aoki laced a two-run single. Cabrera followed with an RBI double.
Cabrera, who missed Friday's game with a glute injury, and Reynolds each had two hits. Aoki extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Right-hander Rafael Montero (5-9) wriggled out of trouble all night in winning his career-high third straight start. Montero allowed one run, four hits and five walks while striking out five over five innings.
Scott Schebler lofted a sacrifice fly in the second for the Reds, who stranded eight runners between the second and fifth innings. Scooter Gannett had two hits.
Bailey (4-8) allowed five runs, six hits and three walks while striking out five in six-plus innings.
NOTES: Mets SS Amed Rosario (right index finger), who sat the previous five games, pinch ran and scored for RHP Jacob deGrom in the seventh inning. ... Binghamton, the Mets' Double-A affiliate, was eliminated from the Eastern League semifinals Saturday with a 9-1 loss to Trenton in Game 4. ... Reds RF Jesse Winker (left hip) ran the bases Saturday and is on pace to be activated within days. ... Pensacola, the Reds' Double-A affiliate, will be declared co-champions of the Southern League after completing a semifinal series sweep of Jacksonville on Friday. The championship series was postponed because of Hurricane Irma.