Ronny Mauricio is finding his groove at the big-league level.
The young slugger had his hands all over the Mets’ Sunday night win over the Giants.
Mauricio and Francisco Alvarez started rallies that led to New York’s first three runs — lining back-to-back singles leading off the third and then a pair of doubles in the top of the fifth.
After the Giants jumped in front on Matt Chapman’s second homer of the night, the Mets responded right back, as Mauricio crushed a slider from All-Star righty Randy Rodriguez into McCovey Cove to even things back up.
A few batters later, Juan Soto pushed the Mets in front with a solo shot of his own.
“He wanted to hit one in the water, he told me since the beginning,” Soto said postgame.
“I knew I hit it well,” Mauricio added. “It felt really good because I saw a couple of home runs of Barry Bonds hitting them into the ocean, so for me to be able to do that too that’s feeling really good.”
And the 24-year-old wasn’t done there, as he led off the top of the ninth ripping an opposite-field double, which eventually led to the pinch-running Luisangel Acuña scoring a big insurance run.
Mauricio finished his first career four-hit showing, three of which went for extra-bases.
“He was incredible, it’s nice to see it,” Carlos Mendoza said. “He continues to get comfortable, he continues to have really good at-bats controlling the strike zone and then doing damage on pitches in the zone.
“We saw it today with the homer against Rodriguez, a pretty tough arm to the pull side and then he goes the other way in that last at-bat after getting into a hitters count, not trying to do too much, just the ability to go the other way — he made it look easy.”
Mauricio is now up to a .760 OPS on the season. Alvarez has hits in six straight, and three extra base knocks since returning. Mark Vientos delivered the go-ahead hit on Saturday to extend his hitting streak. Brett Baty looks the most comfortable he's been at the big-league level.
Starling Marte has also been red hot since returning from his brief IL stint.
The bottom of the order finally pitching in while the big boppers go through their little funk has shown the depth and potential this lineup can have down the stretch.
“One through nine, I feel like anybody in that lineup can take you deep,” Mendoza said. “That’s why we never feel like we’re out of a game, a couple of guys get on then next thing you know you get the tying run to the plate and anybody can clip anybody.
“We’ve been saying it all year, when those guys are clicking we’re a pretty good offense.”
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