Francisco Alvarez breaks out, Pete Alonso keeps rolling, and the Mets pick up their 22nd win of the season.
After dropping two games in a row to close out their series with the Diamondbacks, the Mets got back into the win column with a sometimes sloppy, but overall comfortable 9-3 victory over the Cardinals, one that saw the Mets really take hold of things from the fifth inning on.
Clay Holmes got the start in this one, facing off against Sonny Gray, and both starters had to battle. Holmes got into some immediate trouble in the bottom of the first, allowing a lead off double to Lars Nootbar (that probably would have been an out if Tyrone Taylor was starting in center field over Jeff McNeil, but I digress). Nootbar stole third, solely off Holmes not holding him on, and a (replay-assisted) infield single by Masyn Wynn made it 1-0 Cardinals.
The Mets would get it back, and then some, in a rather goofy second inning. A Brandon Nimmo walk and Jesse Winker bloop single made it first and second with none away. A Mark Vientos single loaded the bases, still with no outs. McNeil tied the game with an RBI ground out, and Francisco Alvarez gave the Mets a 2-1 lead when he beat out a would-be double play ball. Back to back walks by Luisangel Acuña and Francisco Lindor loaded the bases with two away for Juan Soto, who struck out looking on a perfectly placed fastball to end the threat.
That 2-1 lead would hold until the bottom of the third inning, where the Cardinals took the lead back. Victor Scott II led off the inning with a single, moved to second on a Nootbar ground out to Acuña, and scored on a throwing error by Alvarez when the speedster stole third base. Like I said, sloppy. Back to back singles by Wynn and Brendan Donovan kept the Cardinals in business with one away, though a Nolan Arenado strikeout put the rally on hold. Willson Contreras would come through in Arenado’s stead, singling past a diving Mark Vientos to make it 3-2.
A scoreless fourth inning would keep the status quo, but the Cardinals chose not to be outslopped on this Friday night, as a disastrous fifth inning for them saw the Mets take the lead and keep it for good. Soto started the rally with an absolute rocket of a double into the right field corner (114.3 mph!!!), and National League Player of the Month award winner Pete Alonso drove him home with a home run to center field, making it 4-3 Mets. Back to back singles by Nimmo and Winker chased Gray from the game, as the Cards brought in Chris Roycroft to try and end the rally.
Mark Vientos grounded into what should have been an inning ending double play, but the catcher-turned-first baseman in Willson Contreras straight up dropped the ball at first and kept the inning going, pushing the Mets lead to 5-3 in the process. McNeil singled to keep the inning alive, and Alvarez chased home Vientos with a single, making it 6-3.
Holmes, suddenly given run support, made it count, going six innings to earn a quality start and a win. He’s had better performances in a Mets uniform, allowing eight hits and striking out just three, but overall he did enough to navigate the game.
The Mets bullpen took care of the rest. José Buttó and Ryne Stanek combined to throw three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk. Buttó got into a small bit of trouble in the eighth, allowing the first two runners of the inning on, but a timely double play ball all but ended the threat.
The Mets offense kept humming along, scoring insurance runs in the seventh and ninth. Nimmo led off the seventh inning with a home run, which is hopefully a sign that Nimmo is starting to build more positive momentum after his nine RBI performance. Tyrone Taylor, who came into the game for defense in center, hit a two out double, and Alvarez singled him home; Alvarez, by the way, had a very nice day, going 3-5 with three RBI.
The duo of Taylor and Alvarez also started the ninth inning rally. Taylor got on via a hit by pitch, and Alvarez singled him to third. Acuña drove Taylor home with a well struck sacrifice fly, making it an impressive 9-3 win, especially after what was a rather nasty first few innings.
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Big Mets winner: Pete Alonso, +18.3% WPA
Big Mets loser: Juan Soto, -7.1% WPA
Mets pitchers: -2.4%% WPA
Mets hitters: +52.4% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Pete Alonso’s two run home run, +24.0% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Masyn Wynn’s single in the third, -15.5% WPA