NEW YORK — With David Peterson hunched over behind the mound following a two-out walk in the fifth inning, there was a degree of concern that set in for the Mets.
Without warning, the Mets left-hander's vision had gotten blurry and his stomach began to turn. He insisted manager Carlos Mendoza that he could stay in the game. A walk and a hit batter to plate the Blue Jays' first run of the game sealed Peterson's fate in the game.
The Mets bullpen continued to pick up the pieces and aid a rocky offense and starting rotation that has seen only one start last more than 5⅓ innings. The combination of Max Kranick, Reed Garrett, A.J. Minter and Edwin Diaz shut the door with 4⅓ scoreless innings as the Mets scored a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays in front of 40,132 fans on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.
"Man, this team is just pesky and just determined. They never give up," Minter said. "They're just resilient and obviously the bullpen came up big this series and today and that's what you want. The hitters are going to through streaks. They're gonna come up big, and it's just one of those games where you really need the bullpen to step up. That's what really matters."
After the Mets stormed back from two runs down to grab a walk-off 3-2 win on Saturday afternoon, they nursed a two-run lead from the third inning on after Pete Alonso knocked an RBI single and Brandon Nimmo added a sacrifice fly.
Sunday's win gave the Mets their first sweep of the season and a four-game win streak, which improved their record to 6-3. It was the Mets' third win of the season when they have scored three runs or fewer.
"That shows you that we're a good team and we continue to find ways to get the job done," Carlos Mendoza said. "That's what it's all about at this level — finding a way to come through, to get the job done. Whether we're not getting the big hit, we're creating traffic. We're getting guys on base and if we continue to do that, we're going to be in a good place."
David Peterson OK after shaky moment
With five separate relievers having thrown 19 pitches or more in the first two games of the series, Mendoza was hoping for length from Peterson in his second start of the series.
The left-hander shuddered in the fifth inning. The dizzy spell set in during Guerrero's at-bat. Peterson stayed in the game.
The command continued to waver and another walk to Anthony Santander loaded the bases and merited a visit from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. One more pitch and Peterson's day was done. Peterson plunked Andres Gimenez to push across the Blue Jays' first run of the game and earn the hook.
"I wanted to stay in the game," Peterson said. "I told (Mendoza) I was good, and I felt confident in the left-on-left matchup to get Gimenez there and obviously lost control of the first one."
Peterson finished his second start of the season with one earned run allowed on three hits and five walks with three strikeouts, but nothing is wrong physically with Peterson.
"Feeling better. Got some food in me when I came in and the doctor's looked at me and I'm not concerned," Peterson said. "It's not something I've ever had, so hopefully it's one and done and move on."
The green light for Peterson is optimal news for the Mets, who ...
