With runners on the corners before an out was recorded in the second inning, David Peterson was in need of a strikeout.
Or three.
The lefty starter fanned the next three batters to thwart the biggest threat he faced amid his latest strong outing for the Mets, as Peterson tossed six shutout innings in a 7-0 win Thursday over the Nationals at Citi Field.
“I think that situation is, obviously, heightened. There was a bases-loaded one against the Yankees, and the one today. I think for me it’s just keeping the mentality the same,” Peterson said after improving to 4-0 in eight starts this season. “One pitch at a time, execute my stuff, trust [catcher Luis] Torrens or whoever is back there, and go after it. Be aggressive and attack.”
The 28-year-old Peterson didn’t make his first start this season until May 29 due to offseason hip surgery.
But he’s pitched to a 3.09 ERA over 43 ²/₃ innings, providing a nice lift while Kodai Senga works his way back from the injured list.
“He is part of our rotation, and when we get to the point we have to make those decisions, we’ll see,” Carlos Mendoza said of Peterson. “He’s done a nice job, and we’ve seen when he gets in trouble it’s because the breaking ball — the slider or the curveball — is not there..
“Today, he was able to go back to that [the curveball] and execute it and get big swings-and-misses and strikeouts when he needed it.”
Indeed, Peterson got two of his third strikes in the second inning with his curveball.
He allowed four hits and walked three with five strikeouts overall over 102 pitches.
“I think that pitch was big for us. At the end of the day, it came down to trusting it and throwing it with conviction,” Peterson said. “I think it’s always a pitch we have in mind going into the game and it’s part of the game plan. But I think today, talking before the game, I think we saw some opportunities to use it.”
Peterson, the team’s first-round pick (20th overall) in 2017, has had an up-and-down Mets career, entering this year with a 4.51 ERA over 80 appearances (64 starts) in parts of four seasons.
After missing the first two months this year, he has contributed to the team’s recent surge into a wild-card position.
“I think obviously coming back and getting through the rehab healthy and feeling like I was 100 percent was the first goal,” Peterson said. “I wanted to come back to help contribute and win.
“The guys grinded for the first two months, and that’s why I wanted to come in and lift some of what they had and just contribute any way I can and give the team a chance to win every time I take the ball.”