NEW YORK (AP) — Christian Scott finally earned his first big league win on Saturday and batterymate Hayden Senger hit his first career home run as the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 6-1.
Scott’s afternoon began inauspiciously when he was charged with a pitch clock violation before throwing his first pitch. But the right-hander allowed only one run and struck out a career-high eight while snapping a 15-start winless streak dating back to his debut on May 4, 2024.
Scott (1-0) underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2024 and missed last season.
Scott’s winless streak was the second-longest career-opening drought for a pitcher performing exclusively as a starter. Liam Hendriks was winless in his first 17 starts from 2011-12.
He benefited Saturday from a pair of impressive catches by rookie outfielders Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing. Benge made a running grab of Kyle Stowers’ shot to the right-centerfield wall leading off the fourth and Ewing ran down Otto Lopez’s fly to almost the same spot to rob him of an RBI hit ending the fifth.
A quartet of relievers tossed a scoreless inning apiece as the last-place Mets won their third straight — one shy of their season-high.
Mark Vientos snapped a scoreless tie with a two-run double off Tyler Phillips (0-1) in the fourth, when Marcus Semien added an RBI single. Jared Young homered leading off the sixth and Senger, who was drafted by the Mets in 2018, hit a solo shot in the seventh.
Juan Soto hit an RBI single three batters later.
Liam Hicks had three singles for the Marlins, including a run-scoring hit in the fifth.
Phillips (0-1) gave up three runs and struck out two over five innings in his second start of the season.
Up next
Marlins RHP Janson Junk (3-5, 4.80 ERA) will oppose Mets RHP Nolan McLean (2-4, 4.40 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Jerry Beach, The Associated Press
