With a runner on third base before being out in the top of the second, David Peterson needed a strikeout.
Or three.
Left-handed starting pitcher Peterson continued his strong recent game for the Mets by striking out the next three batters he faced to thwart the biggest threat he faced, pitching six scoreless innings in a 7-0 victory over the Nationals on Thursday at Citi Field.
“I think things have obviously gotten worse. We had bases loaded against the Yankees and we had it today. I think for me it’s just about keeping the mentality the same,” said Peterson, who improved to 4-0 through eight games this season. “Just take it one pitch at a time and make the pitch I want to make and trust it. [catcher Luis] If Torrence or whoever is behind you, go after him. Be aggressive.”
Peterson, 28, underwent hip surgery during the offseason and wasn’t able to make his first start of the season until May 29.
But he did have a 3.09 ERA in 43 2/3 innings, which is encouraging until Kodai Senga returns from the disabled list.
“He’s part of our rotation and we’ll see what happens when we have to make a decision,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Peterson. “He’s done a good job. Where he struggles is because he doesn’t have enough breaking balls, a slider or a curveball.”
“Today he was able to get back to that state. [the curveball] And he did just that and got some big whiffs and strikeouts when he needed them.”
In fact, Peterson got two of three strikes in the second inning with a curveball.
The pitcher threw 102 pitches, allowing four hits, walking three and striking out five batters.
“I think that pitch was big for us. It just comes down to believing in it and throwing it with conviction,” Peterson said. “It’s a pitch that we always have in mind going into a game and it’s part of the game plan, but today, after talking about it before the game, I think we had some opportunities to use it.”
Peterson, the team’s first-round draft pick (20th overall) in 2017, has had an up-and-down career with the Mets, appearing in 80 games (64 starts) over four seasons this year with a 4.51 ERA.
After missing the first two months of the year, he helped the team make a recent push into the wild-card zone.
“Obviously, I think the No. 1 goal was just to come back and finish my rehab healthy and get back to 100 percent,” Peterson said. “I wanted to come back and contribute and win.”
“These guys have worked so hard these first two months, so I just wanted to come in and take some of that from them, contribute in any way I can and give the team a chance to win every time I have the ball.”
