CINCINNATI — The Mets knew their rookie pitchers would get tested this month. The first test for Jonah Tong came Friday night in his second big league start.

In the thick of a playoff race, the Cincinnati Reds let the Mets and rookie righty Jonah Tong know that they aren’t going down without a fight. The Reds crushed three home runs off Tong to take the second game of a three-game set, 6-2, at Great American Ballpark.

The San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks have leapfrogged the Reds (71-71) in the NL Wild Card standings, but the Mets (76-66) still have a lead over both teams, all three opponents by at least three game. Should the Mets win tomorrow, they’d split the season series with Cincinnati.

Tong, all of 22 years old with only three starts above Double-A under his belt

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