Rookie left-hander Zac Thornton extended his scoreless streak to 18 innings, pitching six shutout frames to lead the New York Mets to a 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. The victory marked the Mets' third win in five games since the All-Star break.
Thornton allowed three hits and one walk while striking out two batters. This performance followed his seven scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox on July 12 and a previous start where he surrendered only one earned run over six innings against the Philadelphia Phillies. His current ERA stands at 1.93 over four career major league starts.
“I have always wanted to help this team win ballgames,” Thornton said after the game. “It’s always been my No. 1 thing as a baseball player, not my personal accolades or anything like that. I have always been very team-driven and wanted to be part of the winning and a successful team.”
Thornton's emergence has provided a boost to the Mets' rotation, creating an opening after the trade of David Peterson to the Cubs last month. He has seized the opportunity, contributing to a young starting pitching group that also includes Christian Scott, who is slated to face the Brewers in Wednesday's series finale, and rookie Nolan McLean.
Interim manager Andy Green praised Thornton's approach, stating, “[Thornton] was the same guy, unafraid, he attacks. He went after every hitter, and it’s just a good mix with aggression and really good defense behind him today.”
The Mets offense provided support, beginning with Jared Young's second-inning home run against his former team's pitcher, Brandon Sproat. Young's blast, his seventh of the season, gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. Sproat, once the Mets' top pitching prospect, was traded to the Brewers in January. He pitched 4 ⅔ innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and four walks with four strikeouts.
Carson Benge extended the lead in the fifth inning with a two-run double after Sproat walked Bo Bichette. Francisco Lindor had doubled ahead of Benge’s hit, making the score 3-0. Luis Robert Jr., activated from the injured list a day earlier after a 2 ½-month absence, added a 451-foot home run in the eighth inning to seal the 4-0 victory.
Thornton faced challenges in the sixth, surrendering the Brewers' first legitimate hits to Cooper Pratt and Joey Ortiz. However, he was aided by a defensive play from outfielder A.J. Ewing, who made a tumbling catch in left field to end the inning.