The Mets proved they still have the capacity to surprise in late innings today as they won 7-6 against the Braves and split the second series of the season against their division rival. Juan Soto walked three times and hit a three-run home run, and Luis Torrens provided the game-winning double in the tenth inning to finish things off in the Mets’ fourteenth extra-inning game this year.
Freddy Peralta struggled to remain efficient, starting in the first inning, as Michael Harris II bounced an infield hit off Peralta’s leg that landed in the middle of nowhere. Harris got the single and moved to second base on a wild pitch that flew over Francisco Alvarez’s head, but the inning ended with no runs scored. Peralta, however, needed 22 pitches to get out of the first inning.
Carson Benge struck first at the top of the second inning, smacking a home run into center field. However, at the bottom of the second inning, Dominic Smith lined a single into left field before the Mets’ defense struck again. It started at first base, with a ball deflecting off Jared Young on an error benefiting Mike Yastrzemski. Next, Jim Jarvis hit an RBI single into left field that three different Mets watched fall, apparently none of them sure if the others were going for it. It was Jarvis’ first major-league RBI, so at least it was happy for someone. After that, Harris came through by sneaking a ground ball into left field for an RBI single. Ozzie Albies grounded out to end the inning, but the score was now Braves 2, Mets 1. At the bottom of the third, Matt Olson belted a home run over right field to increase the Braves’ lead to 3-1.
At the bottom of fifth inning, Peralta came back out despite his high pitch count. Albies drilled a ball into right field that Benge should have caught but did not, and so Albies came up with a double. Olson was up next and reached on the fielder’s choice, but Albies played cat and mouse long enough to allow Olson to reach second base. Peralta then hit Drake Baldwin with a pitch, and then threw his second wild pitch of the night that moved Baldwin and Olson to second and third bases. After Peralta struck out Mauricio Dubón on his 103rd pitch, Cionel Pérez replaced him for the final out of the fifth inning. Two pitches later, the inning was over.
Bichette opened the sixth inning by whacking the ball over the head of pitcher Didier Fuentes for a single. When Benge lined a double into left field a few moments later, Bichette was waved around third base, only to be tagged out at home for the second out instead of the second run. Jared Young followed up with a single that moved Benge to third base, and Alvarez smacked an RBI single into right field to score Benge, but the scoring ended there when Brett Baty struck out on a foul tip: Braves 3, Mets 2. Cionel Pérez allowed a single to Yastrzemski, but stranded him there to end the sixth.
A.J. Ewing drew a walk in the seventh inning, and Soto drew his third walk of the game to bring up Bichette. Unfortunately, Bichette lined into a double play as Austin Riley managed to snag the ball out of the air and get it to Albies to tag Ewing out at second base, ending the top of the seventh. A.J. Minter came out for the bottom of the seventh and allowed a single to Baldwin, then a double to Dubón immediately after. Luckily, Minter struck out Joey Bart to end the inning right after.
Benge walked after Francisco Lindor grounded out, but Jared Young grounded into a double play, and that was that at the top of the eighth. Guillo Zuñiga came out for the bottom of the eighth in his major league debut for the Mets and acquitted himself well, walking Jarvis but allowing no hits or runs. Alvarez singled to start things off at the top of the ninth, and Tyrone Taylor came out to pinch run. After Baty struck out, Ronny Mauricio smacked a ground ball into right field for a single as well. Ewing flied out for the second out, but Taylor made it to third base. Soto was up next and absolutely bludgeoned one beyond right field and into the chophouse for a 3-run home run, and the Mets took the lead for the first time since the second inning. Afterwards, Bichette came up and, despite fouling two pitches off his foot, kept persisting until grounding out.
Devin Williams came out for the ninth given the change in score, and Ozzie Albies smacked a double, then stole third base, technically, although the base was absolutely uncovered. It did not matter when Matt Olson belted his own home run into the opposite field with no outs. Baldwin singled on an opposite-field line drive, and Jorge Mateo came in to pinch-run for him. Dubón grounded out for the first out (finally), but then Bart walked before Riley grounded out as well to bring up Yastrzemski. Brooks Raley came in to replace Williams at this point to try to get the final out against the lefty, but José Azócar wound up pinch-hitting for Yastrzemski and struck out. On to the tenth, with the score tied at 5-5.
Bichette was the free runner for the Mets at the top of the tenth inning as Lindor lined out on the first pitch he saw. Benge grounded out, but Bichette was able to move to third base. Owen Murphy, pitching in HIS major league debut, hit Young with a pitch to bring up Luis Torrens, who had come in for Alvarez to catch in the ninth. Torrens, who tends to excel in this type of situation, lined an RBI double into left field to score both Bichette and Young. Baty struck out, and the top of the inning was over. Luke Weaver pitched the bottom of the tenth for the Mets, and Azócar was the free runner for the Braves. In a close call, Harris ripped a double into right field after winning a challenge that overturned strike three, and Azócar scored, ending Weaver’s scoreless streak. Albies struck out, and Weaver intentionally walked Olson. Weaver unintentionally walked Mateo to load the bases, but by some miracle, Dubón grounded into a force out at second base to end the game.
The Mets now fly home to face the Royals tomorrow on short rest. Old friend Seth Lugo is pitching for the Royals, and TBD once again is pitching for the Mets.
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What’s WPA?
Big Mets winner: Juan Soto, +82% WPA
Big Mets loser: Devin Williams, -54% WPA
Mets pitchers: -20% WPA
Mets hitters: +70% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Juan Soto 3-run home run, +74.6% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Matt Olson’s ninth inning, 2-run home run, -41.1% WPA
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