Remembering Mets History (2019) Noah Syndergaard Hits a HR & Throws a Complete Game 1-0 Shutout

 Thursday May 2nd, 2019: On a weekday-matinee at Citi Field, Mickey Callaway's Mets (16-15) were struggling to stay above .500. 

The 2019 Mets had a good start to the year, then would struggle to fall ten games under .500 at the break. In the second half, they would win 15 of 16 games from late July to early August to get them back in the wild card race. In September although they went 17-9, they fell short of a playoff berth. They finished the year at 86-76.

On this day their early season hitting struggles continued, but their pitching was exceptional, as Noah Syndergaard did it all by himself.

The Mets hosted David Bell's Cincinnati Reds (13-18), the Reds would finish fourth that season.  21,445 fans came to Citi Field as Noah Syndergaard went up against Tyler Mahle.

In the top of the 1st inning, Syndergaard began the game, fanning the first two Reds Jesse Winker & Eugenio Suarez. 

Winkler had recently become a villain at Citi Field as he went back & forth taunting with the fans. To the fans delight he would later be ejected arguing balls strikes.

Noah then allowed a base hit to Derek Dietrich but got Yasiel Puig to pop out to short stop to end the inning.

In the top of the 2nd inning, Jose Pereza led off with a base hit, but Jose Iglesias grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, then Noah retired Todd Frazier on a fly ball.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Noah Syndergaard led off the inning with a HR to left center field. 

Noah HR Trivia: It was his Syndergaard's second HR of the season, on April 2nd, he had hit his first HR off the Cardinals, Dakota Hudson in a loss at St. Louis. It was the sixth HR of Noah's career tying him with Tom Seaver for second on the Mets all time pitchers HR record, just one behind Dwight Gooden's seven.

Syndergaard's first HR came in his Rookie Year of 2015 the Mets NL Championship season. In 2016 he hit three more tying the Giants Madison Bumgarner for the league lead for pitchers.

On this day, Noah's run would be all the Mets offense could put up on the board, as they would only scatter four hits off Tyler Mahle through five innings. The Reds bullpen held the Mets hitless thru the final four innings.

After a 3rd inning walk, Syndergaard retired the next 18 Reds in a row into the 9th inning when Derek Dietrich singled. 

Along the way he struck out ten batters, walking just one. The Reds collected four hits on the afternoon, the first three singles all came in the first two innings.

In the 9th inning after the Dietrich two out single, pinch runner Michael Lorenzen stole second. Noah then struck out Yasiel Puig looking at a third strike to end the exciting game, with a 1-0 win.

Trivia: Noah became just the tenth pitcher in history to throw a shutout while hitting a HR in a 1-0 victory. The last pitcher to do it was the Dodgers Bob Welch (1983). 

Syndergaard is just the third pitcher to hit a HR &throw a shut out while striking out ten or more batters.

It was his second career shut out, coming in back-to-back seasons.

Quotes- Pete Alonso: "He was a one man wrecking crew out there today".