NEW YORK — Harrison Bader broke a scoreless tie with an infield single in the eighth inning and Edwin Díaz earned his first save at Citi Field since October 2022 as the New York Mets edged the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Sunday.
Mets rookie Jose Buttó and Royals starter Cole Ragans matched zeros for six innings in a crisp pitchers’ duel. New York stranded nine runners over the first seven innings — seven between the fifth and seventh — before Chris Stratton (1-1) walked the bases loaded in the eighth.
With two outs, Bader hit a slow roller toward third and Maikel Garcia was unable to make a barehand pickup. Stratton then walked Brandon Nimmo on four pitches, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead.
Díaz gave up a two-out homer to Vinnie Pasquantino in the ninth before getting Freddy Fermin on a popup for his third save this season. The first two came in Cincinnati.
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