Eight is Enough. Alonso Walks Off Mets Losing Streak

Mets 5 Rangers 2 (10 innings) (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)

Mets record: 77-73

Mets streak: Won 1

Last 10: 2-8

WP -Ryne Stanek (4-6)

LP -Luis Curvelo (1-1)

Seat on the Korner:

We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.

Pete Alonso earned the seat next to Ralph with a walk off, three run home run in the bottom of the 10th to give the Mets a desperately needed 5-2 win that snapped their eight-game losing streak. With Francisco Lindor at second to start the 10th, the Rangers elected to intentionally walk Juan Soto to pitch to Alonso, who drove a 1-1 pitch from losing pitcher Luis Curvelo into the right field stands as the Mets stormed onto the field with their first win in 9 days.

Need to Know

• Pete Alonso's 34th home run ended a drought of 44 at bats without a home run. It was the 5th walk off home run of Alonso's career to set a franchise record (Cleon Jones, Chris Jones, Kevin McReynolds and Mike Piazza all had four walk off home runs for the Mets). It was Alonso's first walk off home run since 5/17/2023 vs. Tampa Bay.

• Francisco Lindor stole his 30th base in the first inning. Second time in his career, both times with the Mets, that he's reached 30 stolen bases. Mets have stolen second base 89 straight times against catchers.

• Brandon Nimmo's home run in the 6th was his first extra base hit in September.

• Mets improved to 4-9 in September. The win means the Mets will remain in the third National League Wild Card spot for another day.

• With his two-run single in the 7th, Joc Pederson is now 2 for 2 in his career against Reid Garrett with a home run and five runs batted in.

  
  

Turning Point

With the game tied at two in the top of the 10th, the Rangers had first and third with one out, but Ryne Stanek struck out Adolis Garcia and got Rowdy Tellez to foul out to third to snuff out the rally. That set up Pete Alonso's walk off, three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th.

Three Keys

Nolan Risin'

Despite having some command problems, Nolan McLean continued to shine with six scoreless innings. McLean was 2-0 on the first five hitters that he faced but he threw 92 pitches and gave up five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Making his sixth Major League start, the rookie right hander lowered his ERA to a miniscule 1.19. Chicago Cubs lefthander Shota Imanaga was the last rookie pitcher with a lower ERA than McLean in his first six Major League starts. Imanaga posted an 0.78 ERA in his first six Major League starts in 2024.

P-U in September

After going 1 for 4, Cedric Mullins is hitting .136 (3 for 22) in the month of September with 8 strikeouts. In 34 games with the Mets, Mullins has a slash line of .188/.294/.277 with an OPS of .571. Francisco Lindor has a slash line of .196/.333/.304 with an OPS of .637 in September.

No Deja Vu This Time

For the second straight day, Edwin Diaz was pitching in a tie game in the 9th. On Saturday, the Mets closer gave up the eventual winning run with two out in the top of the 9th. Today, the Rangers had the go ahead run on third with one out in the top of the 9th. With the infield in, Diaz got Josh Smith to hit a soft liner to Francisco Lindor at short. Ezequiel Duran had gotten too far off of third and slipped trying to get back. Lindor threw to third to complete a huge 6-6-5 double play to keep Texas off the board.