NEW YORK -- Left-hander José Quintana had another strong outing on Tuesday night at Citi Field, but he ended up with his second no-decision of the season as the Mets fell to the Rangers, 2-1.

Quintana has been solid since returning from the injured list and making his season debut on July 20. He has given the Mets at least six innings in six of his eight starts. His outing against Texas was arguably his best of the season, as the veteran struck out five over six scoreless innings while allowing three hits and three walks. That’s pretty impressive considering the Rangers are third in the Major Leagues in runs scored. Quintana lowered his ERA to a respectable 3.26.

“It was a great battle and the [Rangers] are really good,” Quintana said. “I didn’t have my command. … I had too many deep counts. I kept battling each hitter and tried to get good results. Me and [catcher Francisco Alvarez] were on the same page from pitch one.”

The only time the Rangers put a runner in scoring position against Quintana came in the first inning. With Nathaniel Lowe on second base after a two-out double, Quintana struck out Adolis García on a high fastball to end the inning.

“I wish we had him since the beginning of the year,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said about Quintana. “He is a grinder. He is a professional. He is fun to watch.”

Quintana spent the first half of the season on the IL because of a stress fracture in his rib cage. He tries not to think about what might have been if he was healthy before the All-Star break.

“I just want to keep going and pitch well,” he said.

Although Quintana has only one victory to show for his efforts this season, Mets manager Buck Showalter has been impressed with the left-hander. The skipper said Quintana is accountable and ready to take the ball every fifth day. Showalter is looking forward to what Quintana can bring to the Mets for a full season in 2024.

“It’s a testament to his competitiveness. We all have been talking about it. You were able to see a good example of it. He deserved better. He was really sharp,” Showalter said. “He was actually having some trouble with his balance point. You saw some balls he was struggling with early on, but he gave us six strong innings.”

The game was scoreless when Quintana exited, but the Rangers ended up taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh when Mitch Garver hit a 1-0 fastball from Drew Smith over the center-field fence for his 13th home run of the season.

Smith has been inconsistent all season. Just when it looks like Smith is getting on a roll, Showalter said, he ends up throwing too many pitches in his outing.

“It seems like it is one pitch that gets away from him,” Showalter said.

The Rangers added another run in the ninth inning off right-hander Phil Bickford when Garver scored on a single by Ezequiel Duran to make it a two-run game. Mark Vientos gave New York some life in the bottom of the ninth when he hit a solo homer off Aroldis Chapman.

But it was too little, too late for the Mets, who have lost six of their last seven games.