Verlander outpitches Bieber as streaking Mets top Guardians 2-1 for doubleheader sweep

Updated May. 21, 2023 11:47 p.m. ET

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Max Scherzer fired six shutout innings in the first game, then Justin Verlander threw a gem in the nightcap.

A pair of veteran aces in peak form, pitching back-to-back. Exactly what the New York Mets had in mind heading into this season.

Verlander outdueled Shane Bieber in a marquee matchup of Cy Young Award winners, and the resurgent Mets edged the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on Sunday night for a doubleheader sweep.

Francisco Lindor homered against his former team and Jeff McNeil hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly off Bieber in the eighth to make a winner of Verlander (2-2), who gave up three hits and struck out five.

“That’s why I have such respect for people that things are expected of, whether it’s a team or an individual, and they still deliver,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. "Because there’s such a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. History’s history, but you’ve got to be able to repeat it when it’s expected. And that’s really hard to do.”

In the opener, Starling Marte hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Trevor Stephan (2-2) in the eighth inning — his first extra-base hit since April 14 — that sent the Mets to a 5-4 win.

In just the second matchup of Cy Young Award winners this season — Scherzer started against Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara on opening day — Verlander became the first Mets pitcher to go eight innings this year.

“We’ve had so many exciting games this homestand and that’s what this team’s all about,” Verlander said. “Good to finish it off like this.”

Brooks Raley closed out New York’s fifth consecutive comeback victory — all by one run — since a 6-16 slide.

“I woke up this morning, I was like, ‘Oh, we’ve got Scherzer (and) Verlander going today, that’s pretty cool,’” Raley said with a grin.

José Ramírez hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning of Game 1 to give the Guardians a 4-3 lead before he connected against Verlander in the first inning of the nightcap.

Lindor homered off Bieber (2-2) in the sixth inning of Game 2 before rookie Francisco Álvarez singled leading off the eighth. Marte pinch-ran and dashed to third on Lindor's check-swing single past shortstop before scoring on McNeil’s sacrifice fly.

“That’s what makes it fun — everybody’s jacked up because of the way we’ve been winning,” said Scherzer, who pitched through a callus on his right thumb.

Raley needed only five pitches in the ninth to earn his 10th career save and first for the Mets, finishing an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel that took just 2 hours, 6 minutes. He made a terrific defensive play on Steven Kwan’s drag bunt and got Ramírez to ground into a game-ending double play.

The left-hander also threw a scoreless seventh inning in the opener.

Bieber permitted seven hits in his fifth career complete game and first this season. He struck out four and walked two, throwing 106 pitches.

Verlander and Bieber became the first pitchers to complete at least eight innings in the same game this season.

“You have to credit the Mets,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “They put the ball in play and McNeil is a hard guy to strike out and he gets a sac fly. That ends up being the difference.”

Francona oversaw a postgame team meeting Sunday night for the Guardians, who had just 11 hits in the doubleheader as they fell to 20-26 — the furthest they have been under .500 since May 29, 2022. Cleveland recovered to win the AL Central by 11 games.

“Just don’t take anything for granted,” Francona said. “Play the game as right as you can and see where you end up.”

POCKET ACES

Scherzer and Verlander entered Sunday with 449 wins between them, the most by a tandem starting a doubleheader since Nolan Ryan and Charlie Hough had 484 wins prior to Texas’ twinbill against the White Sox on Aug. 17, 1990.

WHOLE LOTTA STARTS

Verlander, who played his entire career in the American League before signing with the Mets last December, made his 55th career start against Cleveland, tied for the most by an active pitcher against one club. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has made 55 starts against San Francisco.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Guardians: C Cam Gallagher (right thumb) went 0 for 3 in the nightcap after sitting out the opener. Gallagher was hit on the thumb by a foul tip in the 10th inning Friday night. … RHP Triston McKenzie (teres major strain) allowed two hits over three scoreless innings in his first rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Columbus. Francona said McKenzie and RHP Aaron Civale (left oblique), who began his rehab stint at Columbus on Thursday, will pitch every fifth day for the Clippers.

Mets: Scherzer said the callus began bothering him in his previous start, but he should be healed for his next scheduled outing. He said the pain contributed to his low-90s (mph) fastball velocity and forced him to rely more on his curveball and changeup. “I’d rather pitch in pain and win than not pitch at all,” Scherzer said. … C Tomás Nido (dry eye syndrome) went 1 for 4 with a two-run homer as the DH for Class A St. Lucie in his third rehab game. Nido has been limited to DH duties in his last two games after being hit by a pitch Friday night. … C Omar Narváez (left calf strain) is expected to begin a rehab assignment this week. … LHP José Quintana (left rib fracture) threw his first bullpen Saturday since undergoing surgery in March.

UP NEXT

Guardians: RHP Hunter Gaddis (0-1, 6.86 ERA) is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Columbus to start Monday’s opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. Gaddis has a 5.12 ERA in four starts for Columbus.

Mets: RHP Kodai Senga (4-2, 3.77 ERA) pitches Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a six-game road trip.

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