Max Scherzer Returns, But Reds Top Mets 1-0

Max Scherzer’s return from nearly seven weeks on the injured list went about as well as the Mets could have scripted Tuesday night.

But in a case of mistaken identity, Scherzer’s teammates evidently thought he was Jacob deGrom.

That meant giving him nothing in terms of run support, nullifying the zeroes Scherzer placed on the scoreboard against the Reds.

Mike Moustakas hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth that accounted for the Reds only run in the Mets’ 1-0 loss at Great American Ball Park.

Seth Lugo, pitching for a second straight night, loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth before Moustakas ended it with a drive to medium center field. Buck Showalter later indicated he went with Lugo because Adam Ottavino, who last pitched Sunday, was unavailable.

“It’s frustrating to waste a good outing by a lot of pitchers,” said Showalter, whose Mets saw their NL East lead on the Braves shrivel to 2 ½ games.

New FromTaco Bell: Cherry Sunrise Freeze

Taco Bell is introducing the new Cherry Sunrise Freeze.

The Cherry Sunrise Freeze is a frozen slush beverage consisting of a sweet, cherry-flavored Freeze with a tropical swirl of pineapple orange flavor.

In addition to the Cherry Sunrise Freeze, Taco Bell is also introducing the new Wild Cherry Freeze, a sweet, cherry-flavored frozen slush beverage.

Back in 2019 Taco Bell launched the first version of a Cherry Sunset Freeze to good reviews. The updated flavor and recipe is sure to be popular again. 

Carlos Carrasco’s Finest Start Leads Mets Over Rangers

Carlos Carrasco’s finest start in six weeks and Eduardo Escobar’s first true power surge of the season lifted the Mets to another series win on Sunday. 

Carrasco hurled 5 innings of one-run ball and Escobar homered for the third consecutive game as the Mets took two of the three against  the Rangers with a 4-1 victory at Citi Field. 

Carrasco had posted a 6.20 ERA over his previous nine starts since May 15, but the veteran righty allowed one run — a solo homer by Texas catcher Jonah Heim in the third — on six hits with one walk and eight strikeouts before Joely Rodriguez replaced him with two outs and two runners on base in the sixth. 

The 35-year-old Carrasco (9-4, 4.54) had surrendered nine runs combined over the first three innings over his previous two outings, but he retired the side in order in Sunday’s first inning and erased a one-out single by Nathaniel Lowe in the second by picking him off at first base.