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NEW YORK -- For the third time in as many games Sunday, a New York Mets starting pitcher provided enough length to lighten the load on a taxed bullpen. Now the Mets can only hope the other two members of the rotation can follow suit with first place on the line. Right-hander Noah Syndergaard struck out 11 and allowed an unearned run over seven strong innings as the Mets completed a three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with a 3-1 win at Citi Field.
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Syndergaard, Friday's starter Steven Matz and Saturday's starter Jacob deGrom combined to allow seven runs (six earned) while striking out 26 and walking just three over 19 innings in the weekend series, which came immediately after Bartolo Colon and Matt Harvey allowed 12 runs (nine earned) over 7 1/3 innings in losses to the Washington Nationals Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
"Matt didn't get us deep in the game, Bartolo didn't get us deep in the game," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We said last night this kid's got to get us deep in the game tomorrow. He's got to step up and give us an outing. And he did. At his age, and with his experience, to have to ride him like that is a compliment to what he's done and what he's accomplished so far."
Colon and Harvey are scheduled to pitch the first two games of a three-game series against the Nationals in Washington, D.C., that begins Monday night. The second-place Mets are 1 1/2 games behind first-place Washington.
The uncertainty of Colon and Harvey seemed to be on Collins' mind both during the game, when he had closer Jeurys Familia throw the ninth inning for the third straight day, and afterward.
"We wanted to make sure we have (Logan) Verrett (available this week)," Collins said, referring to the Mets' long reliever. "You've got to look down the road to where you might need some length here."
Syndergaard looked as if he might struggle to provide that length Sunday when he gave up an unearned run in the first inning and needed 57 pitches to get through the third.
"First inning, I almost felt a little too strong out there," Syndergaard said. "I relaxed a little bit and calmed down."
Syndergaard retired 14 of the final 17 batters he faced, a stretch in which he recorded six strikeouts.
"I think with some of these guys, they just go until the ball is taken from them," said Mets reliever Jim Henderson, who threw a scoreless eighth. "If they're looking strong in the sixth, seventh, eighth inning when their pitch counts get up, it's pretty easy for Terry to throw them out there for another inning."
The Brewers threatened in the seventh, when Hernan Perez singled, went to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a single by Alex Presley. But Presley was thrown out trying to advance to second on a pitch in the dirt, after which Syndergaard struck out Ramon Flores and retired Aaron Hill on a groundout.
"It's his read," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Presley. "But that's a spot where, down 3-1, you've got to be sure."
Henderson and Familia (15th save) each allowed a hit in preserving the second win of the week by Syndergaard, who posted an 0.00 ERA while striking out 21 and walking none in 14 innings.
"When you looked up and he got you through the seventh inning -- I saluted him," Collins said.
Michael Conforto homered in the first for the Mets and began the go-ahead rally in the fourth, when he drew a leadoff walk. Conforto went to third on a double to left by Yoenis Cespedes and both runners raced home on a one-out single by Asdrubal Cabrera.
Right-hander Chase Anderson took the defeat after allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out six over five innings for the Brewers (18-26), who have lost seven of 11, all by three runs or fewer.
"We've just got to learn how to win those one-run, close games like that," Anderson said. "But that comes with maturity and experience and we are trying to get that here."
Perez was the lone player on either team with two hits.
NOTES: The Mets swept the Brewers at home for the first time since 2002, when the Mets still played at Shea Stadium. ... Mets 1B Lucas Duda (lower back) sat out for the second straight day and for the fourth time in the last six games. Manager Terry Collins said team medical director David Altchek will view Duda's MRI Monday but acknowledged he is worried about the news Duda will get. ... Brewers LF Ryan Braun went 1-for-4 with a stolen base after missing the previous four games with a sore back. ... Brewers IF/OF Ramon Flores made his first big league start at first base in place of 1B Chris Carter, who sat for just the third time this year.
