Nolan McLean provided the struggling Mets a much-needed lift on Saturday, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings in his major league debut as New York beat the Seattle Mariners 3-1.
McLean (1-0) allowed two hits with four walks and struck out eight to help lift the Mets to just their third win in their last 17 games.
The 24-year-old right-hander, a 2023 draft pick out of Oklahoma State, showed off a five-pitch arsenal that included a high-70s curveball, a high-80s sweeper, a 90-mph cutter and sinkers and fastballs measured in the high 90s.
The crowd gave him three standing ovations — first when he walked off the mound in the sixth and again when he was pictured on the scoreboard prior to the seventh and ninth innings.
Francisco Lindor had an RBI double in the third before the Mets added insurance in the seventh, when Juan Soto had a sacrifice fly and Pete Alonso hit a run-scoring double.
Alonso now has 100 RBIs, the fourth time in his career he’s reached the century mark.
Edwin Diaz gave up Eugenio Suarez’s ninth-inning homer but got the final six outs for his 24th save.
Bryan Woo (10-7) gave up one run over six innings — the 24th time in as many starts this season he’s lasted at least six frames.
McLean got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third when he made a backhanded grab of Julio Rodriguez’s comebacker and whirled to second to start the inning-ending 1-4-3 double play.
McLean is the seventh Mets pitcher to throw at least five scoreless innings in his big league debut and the first since Zack Wheeler on June 18, 2013.
The teams head to Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the MLB Little League Classic on Sunday night, when RHP Clay Holmes (9-6, 3.71 ERA) starts for the Mets against Mariners RHP George Kirby (8-5, 3.71).
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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