ANAHEIM, Calif. – Oakland’s acquisition of Paul Blackburn may bring a “Who?” from a large portion of the Mets fan base earlier this week, but Friday is the time for a proper introduction.
And Blackburn’s first impression was a very good one.
The right-hander cruised with the efficiency that Mets starting pitchers often lack this season, helping the new team roll to a 5-1 victory over the Angels to start a 10-game road trip that includes four cities.
Blackburn, the first real light for his new teammates came before the game – he stayed on the West Coast to meet up with the Mets after Tuesday’s trade – allowed one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings, departing after 82 chickens.
The Angels managed just two hard-hit balls in six innings, as Blackburn kept opposing batters off balance mostly with a mix of cutters, changeups and sliders.
His fastest pitch of the night was 92.5 mph.
The Mets are counting on the 30-year-old Blackburn to help stabilize the rotation that lost Kodai Senga to a calf strain during his first start on the injured list.
Another starter, Christian Scott, has been sidelined with a sprained right ulnar collateral ligament.
Tylor Megill, who was considered important rotation depth when the season started, has struggled and was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse after Wednesday’s game.
It has left Blackburn in the rotation with Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea and David Peterson as the Mets (58-51) continue to compete for a National League wild card berth.
Jose Butto followed Blackburn’s strong outing with two shutout innings before Phil Maton worked a scoreless ninth.
Francisco Alvarez’s RBI single in the second brought in the game’s first run.
Jose Iglesias delivered a leadoff double and was brought home on Alvarez’s single to left.
It was a welcome offensive contribution from Alvarez, who had a .577 OPS in July with just six RBIs.
It follows a strong June for Alvarez, after returning from surgery to repair a torn thumb ligament.
Jo Adell’s grounder off the glove of Mark Vientos in the second was an RBI single that tied the game at 1-1.
Mickey Moniak singled and Zach Neto walked ahead of Adell’s run-scoring hit.
Adell was thrown out by Alvarez trying to steal second, helping to limit the damage in the inning.
Pete Alonso’s two-run homer in the third gave the Mets a 3-1 lead. Brandon Nimmo singled leading off the inning before Alonso crushed a cutter from Tyler Anderson into the left-field seats.
The blast was Alonso’s 23rd of the season and his third in five games.
Luis Guillorme’s fielding error later in the inning allowed Iglesias to reach base, but Anderson retired Tyrone Taylor for third.
Former Met Guillorme made a comeback in the fifth – diving with his back to the field to make a lunging catch on Alvarez’s pop-up that left Alonso stranded at third after drawing the leadoff walk in the inning.
In the previous inning, Blackburn had walked Taylor Ward and allowed a single to Moniak before getting the next two outs to keep the Mets’ lead at 3-1.
JD Martinez singled past base in the sixth which brought in Harrison Bader for the Mets’ fourth run.
Reliever Mike Baumann got out of the inning without further damage, but Neto booted a Vientos grounder, allowing the Mets to widen the Angels’ deficit to 5-1.
Bader’s leadoff single and Lindor’s bunt for a hit started the inning.
