Justin Verlander pitched like Justin Verlander.
Unfortunately for the Mets, their offense couldn’t touch Toronto starter Chris Bassitt and their three-game winning streak was snapped in a 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Friday night at Citi Field.
Looking to win their ninth straight contest at home and get to four games over .500 for the first time since April 27, the Mets instead suffered another quiet night at the plate.
After they had scored eight runs over their previous three games, the Mets were shut out for the eighth time this season.
Verlander made just one mistake all night, on the second pitch of the game, which George Springer hit for a leadoff homer.
It was the only run Verlander gave up in six innings. And it was the lone run of the game until Toronto’s Daulton Varsho hit a two-run homer off Jeff Brigham in the ninth.
The Mets were even less productive, however, against their former teammate Bassitt, who blanked them for 7 2/3 innings.
After the start of the game was delayed by approximately an hour and a half because of rain, Springer didn’t take long to give Toronto the lead, with a 422-foot homer.
Verlander then took a liner off the hip from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but immediately waved off the training staff. A walk to Brandon Belt followed before Verlander struck out Matt Chapman.
The Mets had a chance to tie the score in the third, as Mark Canha continued his hot stretch at the plate with a single to start the inning. He stole second and moved to third when Francisco Alvarez reached on an error by Guerrero at first.
But Brandon Nimmo popped out, Francisco Lindor struck out looking and Jeff McNeil — who had been stranded after he doubled in the first inning — fouled out to waste the scoring chance.
Read Related Also: Big W to phase out plastic bags in stores around country
Verlander was drilled by another liner in the top of the sixth, when Bo Bichette sent a 106-mph screamer back at him and reached on a leadoff single. This time, the training staff did check on Verlander, who remained in the game.
Guerrero then walked before Verlander struck out Belt and Chapman. But Whit Merrifield’s infield single loaded the bases and Verlander responded by fanning Daulton Varsho to keep it a one-run game. It was his 117th and final pitch of the night.
The Mets’ offense couldn’t figure out Bassitt, who gave up seven runs in four innings to the Twins in his previous start, but has pitched well this season.
He was dominant on Friday.
After Alvarez reached on the error in the third, Bassitt retired 14 in a row until Starling Marte singled to right with two outs in the seventh. Marte stole second, but Mark Vientos grounded out.
Dominic Leone and Drew Smith tossed scoreless innings after Verlander departed, and Bassitt was replaced by Tim Mayza after he limited the Mets to three hits and struck out eight.
Mayza entered to face Nimmo, who was called for an automatic strike three for a pitch clock violation to end the eighth inning.
Brigham entered in the ninth and allowed Varsho’s monstrous homer to the upper deck in right to make it 3-0.
Toronto closer Jordan Romano took over in the bottom of the ninth, and Lindor sent a fly ball to the warning track in left, but it came up short.
As did the Mets.
