Nolan McLean struck out seven in six scoreless innings Tuesday night and the visiting New York Mets defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0.
McLean (5-5) allowed five hits and two walks, while Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens provided support with solo home runs. Devin Williams pitched around a single in the ninth to earn his 12th save.
The struggling teams have split the first two of a three-game series with the rubber match to be played Wednesday afternoon on Canada Day.
It was the second win in 11 games for the Mets. The Blue Jays are 2-7 with one game left on their 10-game homestand. The Mets are 1-1 to open a seven-game road trip.
Former Blue Jay Bo Bichette was 1-for-4 for the Mets and made some excellent defensive plays at third base.
Luis Urias had two singles and a walk for Toronto.
The Mets tested Kevin Gausman (4-7) in the fourth. Juan Soto led off with a walk and Bichette grounded a single to right. The runners advanced on a groundout. Gausman responded with two strikeouts to end the inning.
Toronto threatened against McLean with two outs in the bottom of the fourth when Daulton Varsho doubled to right and Urias walked. McLean got Yohendrick Pinango on a groundout to end the inning.
Alvarez opened the fifth by homering on a 1-2 fastball, a blast to center. The Mets left two runners on base in the inning after a single and a walk.
Gausman completed six innings. He allowed one run, five hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Torrens homered into the Mets’ bullpen in right field on Mason Fluharty’s 2-2 cutter with one out in the seventh.
New York’s Brooks Raley pitched a perfect seventh with two strikeouts and Luke Weaver also was perfect in the eighth for the Mets.
Toronto’s Tommy Nance pitched a clean eighth with two strikeouts before allowing A.J. Ewing’s single to open the ninth. Ewing reached second when Nance was charged with the error on a pickoff attempt. He took third on a groundout and Brett Baty hit a sacrifice fly to center.
Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was scratched because of back tightness.
