Mets’ bullpen dominates again to finish off sweep of Blue Jays

When in doubt, call to the bullpen.

The Mets aren’t detonating explosions with their bats, and their starting pitching through nine games has been respectable. The bullpen looks otherworldly.

On Sunday it took 13 outs from that unit without allowing a run to keep the Mets’ sweep dreams buoyant. Mission accomplished in a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays at Citi Field. The Mets won their fourth straight.

The Blue Jays were held scoreless against Max Kranick, Reed Garrett, A.J. Minter and Edwin Díaz combined over 4 ¹/₃ innings as Mets relievers lowered their collective ERA to a major league best 1.29 this season.

“We have a few different weapons that can match up well with the other side,” Brandon Nimmo said. “It’s not like it’s just one guy.”

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It’s a group that has allowed only two of 20 inherited runners to score while logging nearly four innings per game. But is that kind of usage sustainable?

“At some point the starters are going to start going deep in games,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “That is the nature, especially early on, when a lot of them are coming off pitch counts. We want to be smart about it and that’s why it’s important to have a few [relievers] that can give you multiple innings and we have seen it in the past nine games or so, but we’re comfortable the starters are going to start going deep here pretty soon.”

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In sweeping the three games, the Mets scored only 10 runs. They scrapped for two runs in Sunday’s third inning and then relied on their power arms to protect that lead.

Pete Alonso, who blasted three homers for the week, delivered an RBI single in the third against Bowden Francis that produced the game’s first run. Nimmo’s ensuing sacrifice fly gave the Mets a 2-0 lead.

David Peterson rolled into the fifth and recorded two outs following Tyler Heineman’s leadoff double, but never escaped the inning. Peterson was in discomfort after delivering a pitch to walk Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Peterson said he had blurred vision and felt nauseous, but he was allowed to remain in the game — after a visit from Mendoza and the trainer — to face Anthony Santander and Andrés Giménez. After Santander walked and Giménez was drilled by a pitch (forcing in a run), Peterson was removed. Kranick entered and struck out Alejandro Kirk to leave the bases loaded.

Over 4 ²/₃ innings Peterson allowed one earned run on three hits and five walks with a hit batsman and three strikeouts. The lefty threw 91 pitches.

“[Kranick] was huge,” Peterson said. “Him getting me out of that jam and keeping us where we were and everyone behind him did their job. The bullpen has been really solid for us and it’s been fun to watch.”

Kranick has retired 21 of 22 batters he’s faced this season. The right-hander has also stranded all six of his inherited runners this season, tying him with Garrett for the major league lead in that category.

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Garrett, who pitched the seventh, has held opponents scoreless in each of his four appearances this season. Since Aug. 28 of last year he has held opponents scoreless in 15 of 16 appearances.

Minter, who arrived on a two-year contract worth $22 million — after undergoing hip surgery last season with the Braves — struck out two batters in the eighth. It gave the left-hander seven strikeouts in 3 ²/₃ innings pitched this season.

“I am still not quite where I want to be, but things are trending in the right direction,” Minter said. “I am still early in the process — still technically early coming back from surgery, so I still think there is some room to improve.”

The Mets loaded the bases in the sixth, but failed to extend the lead. Jesse Winker struck out with runners on first and second and after Mark Vientos walked, Brett Baty struck out and Jose Siri was retired.

Díaz drilled two batters in the ninth inning, but escaped with his second save in as many chances this season.

“What I liked best is we just found a way to win each game,” Nimmo said, referring to the sweep. “It wasn’t necessarily pretty all the time … I think it was just all-around good efforts.”