Jonathon Niese was good — but Madison Bumgarner was better.
Niese’s seven strong innings were wasted as the Mets managed only four hits — three of them singles — against Bumgarner and three relievers as the Giants claimed a 2-1 victory Thursday at Citi Field.
Since his Aug. 11 return from the disabled list after a partially torn rotator cuff, Niese, who allowed two earned runs and seven hits Thursday, has a 3.06 ERA in eight starts.
“Just been able to establish all my pitches, able to throw them for strikes. Throwing the cutter … getting the fastball on both sides of the plate,” Niese (7-8) said.
Manager Terry Collins said Niese was “very impressive” before he was lifted for a pinch hitter.
“The ultimate goal for the next 10 days is to make sure he feels good when he leaves here so he can maintain the strengthening program this winter and come to spring training 100 percent ready,” Collins said.
Niese was almost as impressive as Bumgarner (13-9), who went seven innings and struck out 10 for his 13th career double-digit strikeout game.
The Mets, who got the tying run to second in the ninth before Javier Lopez got two outs for his first save, scored in the fourth when Daniel Murphy singled home Josh Satin, who had doubled. The Giants took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth when one of Juan Perez’s three hits drove in a run and Ehire Adrianza, in his first career start, hustled to avoid a double play for an RBI forceout.
The struggling Mets offense may welcome David Wright back Friday in Philadelphia.
Closer Bobby Parnell spoke about his Sept. 10 surgery for a herniated disk in his neck.
“They removed the whole thing and replaced it with a bone graft from my hip,” said Parnell who originally balked at surgery. “I didn’t want to. Had a follow-up MRI and the herniation hadn’t shrunk. … For me to be ready for spring training I had to do it.”
For the next 4-to-6 weeks, Parnell said doctors told him to stay off his feet.
“I can walk, that’s about the extent of what they want me to do,” he said.
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Catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who took a foul tip off his right shoulder Tuesday, was back in the starting lineup.
With 168 ²/₃ innings pitched — 100 with Mets, 68 ²/₃ in the minors — Zack Wheeler is nearing his innings limit and may make one or two more starts, depending how deep he goes in his next outing.
“He’s right on the borderline of where we want him to be. If he goes out his next start and gets seven or eight [innings], that could be it,” Collins said.
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The Mets almost tied it against Bumgarner in the sixth. Wilmer Flores made a bid for a hit up the middle, but the ball hit Bumgarner’s leg and deflected directly to Buster Posey at first for the inning’s final out with a runner on third.