By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Tony Gonsolin threw a two-hit ball in six sharp innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Mets 2-0 Thursday night, breaking New York’s six-game winning streak in the first match of a series of four games between the two best teams in the National League.
Gonsolin (6-0) put five out and walked one in his first start against the Mets. The right-hander has allowed two runs or less in the 10 outings and has lowered his effectiveness to 1.59.
Gonsolin did not give up a hit until the fourth: a single by Luis Guillorme after the capture of snow cone by left fielder Chris Taylor on the Starling Marte line. Initially they didn’t decide on a catch, the Dodgers successfully challenged the call.
Craig Kimbrel retired the team in the ninth to close out the Dodgers’ fourth inning. He had allowed runs in his last three outings, but put batter Pete Alonso on a swing to get his 11th stop.
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The high-powered Mets got just one hit after Gonsolin left: a single from Jeff McNeil in the seventh. His only other hit was JD Davis’ two-out double in the fifth.
New York, which had 77 games in its previous nine games, was the only major league team not to be relegated this season.
The Dodgers were coming out of a three-game home sweep of Pittsburgh for the first time in 22 years. Although they were still struggling to become runners-up with the runners-up, the win brought them four games ahead of San Diego’s second-place finish in the NL West.
Trea Turner doubled to the corner of the left field in Taijuan Walker’s first throw of the sixth to extend his streak of 25 batting games, first to the biggest this year.
Walker (3-1) conceded two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He put on two and walked one.
The Mets’ streak of 26 straight innings ended in fifth. Mookie Betts’ single RBI in the center left Taylor, who was 2 out of 3 in addition to playing a stellar defense.
Justin Turner chased Walker with a two-out double drive to the right in the sixth.
New York had thrown white backs in their previous two games against Washington, the last place, finishing 6-0 at home.
Mets: SS Francisco Lindor sat with a swollen middle right finger after injuring him by closing a double door in his hotel room. He is likely to return to the lineup on Friday.
Dodgers: OF Kevin Pillar entered the injured list with a fractured left shoulder. He left Wednesday’s game in the sixth inning. … LHP Clayton Kershaw (pelvis) will launch a rehab game probably on Sunday in Class A Rancho Cucamonga.
Mets: RHP Chris Bassitt (4-2, 3.66 ERA) has won three of the four outings on the road with 3.68 ERA.
Dodgers: LHP Tyler Anderson (6-0, 2.90) has pitched 20 goalless innings since allowing two runs in the first against Arizona. He is 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA in three career appearances against the Mets.
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