NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Severino pitched a four-hitter for his second career shutout, and the New York Mets got home runs from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso in a 4-0 victory Saturday over the Miami Marlins.
After losing his previous three starts, Severino (8-6) was in complete control against the last-place Marlins on a rainy afternoon at Citi Field. He struck out eight and walked one in the first shutout by a Mets starter since Jacob deGrom blanked Washington in April 2021.
“It was amazing,” Severino said. “That was really fun to go out and compete for this fan base.”
Severino’s only other complete game in the majors was a five-hit shutout for the New York Yankees at Houston in May 2018.
The right-hander plunked Jake Burger with his first pitch of the ninth inning, bringing a visit from manager Carlos Mendoza. But after a discussion on the mound, Mendoza left Severino in the game to loud cheers from the crowd of 34,744.
He retired the next three batters and finished with a flourish, screaming and pumping his fist after striking out Derek Hill to end it with his 113th pitch — most by a member of the Mets this season.
“Special feeling,” Mendoza said. “The crowd was behind him. Special day.”
Mendoza spent five seasons with Severino as a coach for the Yankees and has known the right-hander since he was a teenager.
“I’m proud of him because it hasn’t been easy,” Mendoza said. “I knew he was staring at me, and I know that once he stares at me like that, he wants one more. It was an easy decision for me.”
Severino threw three pitches in the third inning and four in the sixth, becoming the first pitcher in at least 25 years with two innings that lasted four pitches or fewer.
“I feel really good,” he said. “I feel healthy. I haven’t felt like that in a little bit.”
New York won consecutive games for just the second time this month and stayed a game behind Atlanta for the final National League wild card.
Lindor drove the seventh pitch from Miami starter Max Meyer (3-3) to right-center for his second leadoff homer this year and the 20th of his career. Alonso homered leading off the second and the Mets scored once in each of the first four innings for the first time since May 1995 against San Francisco.
With his 100th home run at Citi Field, Alonso joined Darryl Strawberry and Mike Piazza as the only Mets with 100 or more homers in Queens.
Brandon Nimmo tripled in the third and scored when Jesse Winker delivered a two-out RBI single on his 31st birthday. Lindor walked with two outs in the fourth and scored on Mark Vientos’ double.
Severino was helped when the Marlins ran themselves into an unusual double play in the third.
“They practiced that before BP,” Severino joked about his infielders.
Miami has dropped six of eight.
Meyer allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He has a 7.99 ERA in 23 1/3 innings since being recalled from the minors on July 27.
“He’s still developing,” Miami manager Skip Schumaker said. “This is really his first full year at this level so he’s still trying to figure some stuff out as well.”
WEB GEM
Nimmo tracked down Kyle Stowers’ sinking liner in the seventh, making a sliding catch in left field. Severino stood with his hands in the air, acknowledging the grab, and remained near the mound until Nimmo reached him so he could say something directly to the outfielder.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: OF Starling Marte (right knee bone bruise) remains on track to be activated from the injured list Sunday. Mendoza said there’s a good chance Marte will be in the lineup. ... Rookie RHP Christian Scott (elbow) continues to play catch at 90 feet.
Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcántara (elbow) threw his seventh bullpen as he recovers from 2023 Tommy John surgery. He hopes to progress to throwing batting practice soon.
UP NEXT
Miami RHP Valente Bellozo (2-1, 2.28 ERA) makes his sixth major league start when he faces RHP Paul Blackburn (5-3, 4.43) in the series finale Sunday.
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A previous version of this story was corrected to show that Lindor homered on Meyer’s seventh pitch.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
