McLean Sets the Tone
Nolan McLean delivered a solid performance on the mound for the New York Mets, pitching six innings to secure his ninth win of the season. The right-hander allowed two hits and one earned run while walking four batters and striking out three. His outing provided the foundation for the Mets' narrow 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres at Citi Field in Queens, New York, on Monday, August 17, 2026.
Early Scoring Swing
The Padres took an early lead in the first inning. Brandon Bichette singled to right field, allowing Francisco Lindor to score. Shortly after, Robert Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to center field, which scored Lindor and extended the away team's advantage to 2-0. The Mets responded in the second inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to left field. This play scored the running score, bringing the total to 1-2 in favor of San Diego. No other runs were scored for the remainder of the game, and there were zero home runs hit by either team.
Bullpen Secures the Result
After McLean departed, the Mets bullpen managed the final frames to protect the lead. Jonathan Pintaro pitched one and one-third innings, allowing one hit and one walk while recording no earned runs. He was followed by Nate Lavender, who pitched two-thirds of an inning without allowing hits, earned runs, walks, or strikeouts. Daniel Duarte closed the game, pitching one inning with two strikeouts and no hits, earned runs, or walks to earn his second save. On the losing side, Walker Buehler took the loss. He pitched six innings, allowing two hits and two earned runs while walking two and striking out four. Kyle Hart finished the game for San Diego, pitching two innings with three hits, no earned runs, no walks, and three strikeouts.
Final Standings
The final score was New York Mets 2, San Diego Padres 1. The Mets improved their record to 57-69, while the Padres dropped to 67-59. The game drew an attendance of 27,842 fans at Citi Field. Both teams now head into their next matchups with these updated records.
Sources
https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816566
