NEW YORK _ What started as a promising outing for Noah Syndergaard quickly unraveled in the seventh inning, and the bullpen did him no favors.
Syndergaard scattered six hits over 6 1/3 innings on 96 pitches, the most he's thrown since his return from the disabled list on July 13. He walked one but hit two batters in the seventh and allowed four runs.
It didn't impact the outcome, though, as the offense erupted for 16 hits and jumped on Reds starter Homer Bailey early. The Mets (46-64) hung on for a 6-4 win in front of 21,644 at Citi Field on Monday.
Syndergaard navigated a pesky Reds lineup with minimal trouble until the seventh.
After forcing Tucker Barnhart to ground out to second base at the start of the seventh inning, Syndergaard plunked both Preston Tucker and pinch-hitter Phillip Ervin in consecutive at-bats. Billy Hamilton followed with a single, loading the bases.
Jose Peraza singled home Tucker, and manager Mickey Callaway pulled Syndergaard with a 6-1 lead and the bases loaded. Bobby Wahl entered and walked Joey Votto, cutting the lead to 6-2. Wahl struck out Gennett on a high fastball for the second out, then Callaway called upon Robert Gsellman, who allowed a two-run bloop single to Eugenio Suarez.
Gsellman struck out former Yankees prospect Mason Williams, ending the inning. He then worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and Jerry Blevins pitched the ninth to earn his first save of the season.
Bailey, who entered the game with a 5.87 ERA over 14 starts, was shelled for 11 hits (10 singles) over 3 1/3 innings. The Mets' first three hitters of the game _ Amed Rosario, Jeff McNeil and Wilmer Flores _ all singled and scored, handing Syndergaard a 3-0 lead.
Bailey put the Reds in a big hole after he tossed a 1-2-3 second inning and escaped trouble in the third. Kevin Plawecki greeted him with a home run to left field to begin the fourth inning, snapping his 0-for-12 skid.
After Rosario reached on a fielder's choice later in the fourth inning, McNeil singled to advance him to third base. Flores, who turned 27 on Monday, singled Rosario home for a 5-0 lead, ending Bailey's outing.
McNeil gave the Mets a 6-0 lead with a solo homer to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning off Keury Mella. McNeil, who went 3-for-4, is now eight for his last 12.
Callaway said before the game that McNeil, a 26-year-old who received his first call-up to the bigs on July 24, is expected to receive an extended look at second base in the last two months of the season so the team can evaluate where he fits long-term.
"Is this guy going to be a kid that, we might not have to find a second baseman over the winter?" Callaway said. "So, that's kind of where we're at right now. I think you will, at times, see him play other positions, but I think that's our main focus, to see exactly what we have. Because this kid can hit."
