Justin Verlander, Mets sweep twin bill, series over Guardians

Jeff McNeil hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning Sunday night as the New York Mets beat the visiting Cleveland Guardians 2-1 to sweep a split doubleheader.The Mets have won five straight, including four in their last at-bat. The Guardians have lost five of six.Starling Marte hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning of Sunday’s first game to lift the Mets to a 5-4 win.Solo homers by the Guardians’ Jose Ramirez (first inning) and the Mets’ Francisco Lindor (sixth inning) provided the lone runs between Cleveland ace Shane Bieber and New York ace Justin Verlander before the hosts mounted the winning rally against Bieber (3-3).Francisco Alvarez led off the eighth with a single. One out later, pinch runner Marte went to third on a single by Lindor. Marte then raced home on McNeil’s fly out to medium left.Verlander (2-2), making his fourth start of the season after missing the first five weeks with a right shoulder injury, allowed the one run on three hits and walked none while striking out five.Brooks Raley threw a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his first save of the season.

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