Little Big League: Mets Win in Williamsport

Mets 7 Mariners 3 (Bowman Field, Williamsport, PA)

Mets record: 66-58

Mets streak: Won 2

Last 10: 3-7

WP - Clay Holmes (10-6)

LP - George Kirby (8-6)

Seat on the Korner: Francisco Alvarez

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.

We're trying to give Francisco Alvarez the seat because we had a lot to talk about with him -- even before he jammed his right thumb sliding into second base on his third hit of the night. Since being recalled from AAA Syracuse on July 21, Alvarez has reached base in 16 of his 18 starts, batting .322 (20-62) with 14 runs, six doubles, one triple, four home runs, 13 RBI and nine walks. In tonight's game, Alvarez went three-for-four with two doubles and an RBI. Ralph would love to talk to him about his different approach at the plate since coming back from Syracuse, about catching Nolan Mclean on Saturday and about how Clay Holmes gutted it out in the fourth tonight. But then he jammed the thumb, and had to be replaced in the field. He's going to be on his way back to New York for an MRI. Hopefully, he can chat with Ralph before that.

Need to Know

• Two days after the Mets did it, the Phillies had their own 11-9 game, only they ended up on the winning end after holding off a three-run Washington Nationals ninth inning rally.

• Putting additional pressure on the Mets, the Cincinnati Reds snapped the Milwaukee Brewers' 14-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory in 10 innings.

• So...the win kept the Mets five games behind the Phils and a game and a half ahead of the Reds for the last wild card spot.

• The was the second time the Mets played in the Little League Classic. In 2018, the Mets defeated the Phillies, 8-2..

• Clay Holmes, tonight's Mets starter, threw inning in last year's game, striking out one but allowing one run in relief while pitching for the Yankees against the Tigers.

• The Mets have a long history in Williamsport, dating back to when it was the location of their AA farm team (1964-1967) -- the training ground for four of the 1969 Miracle Mets: Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan, John Matlack and Ron Swoboda.

• Nine former Mets participated in the Little League World Series: Biilly Connors (1954), Gary Sheffield (1980), Derek Bell (1980-81), Jason Bay (1990), Lastings Milledge (1997), Ruben Tejada (2001), Michael Conforto (2004), Gavin Ceccini (2006) and Todd Frazier, who was part of the world champion Toms River, NJ, 1998 squad.

• Among Mariners who played in the Little League World Series was game starter George Kirby, who played on the upstate Rye Little League team.

• On Saturday, the Mets became the only team in the National League with four players who have hit 20 or more home runs.

• Juan Soto's hot August continued. After a third inning walk, Soto has now reached base safely in all 15 games this month, batting .283 (15-53) with 12 runs, five homers, eight RBI, 12 walks, five steals.

• Francisco Lindor went three-for-five, his fifth consecutive multi-hit game -- the first time he has done that since 2018, when he played for Cleveland.

• The Mets' streak of 39 consecutive successful stolen bases came to an end when George Kirby picked off Francisco Lindor in the first. Kirby caught Lindor leaning the wrong way and Lindor couldn't get back to first on the pickoff throw. Juan Soto started another streak when he stole second in the ninth.

Turning Point

As we've learned this month, no Mets lead is safe with this bullpen, and the team needs all the runs it can get. So when Mark Vientos came to bat with two on and two out in the bottom of the fifth, it was an opportunity the Mets needed to cash in on. Vientos, of course, has a tendency to overswing in these situations and either chase a bad pitch or ground out. But Vientos -- who hit a sacrifice fly in the second -- hit one over the fence in right field, giving the Mets a five-run lead.

Three Keys

The bullpen holds, even without Diaz

With Edwin Diaz likely unavailable becaue he was used for a two-out save Saturday, and with a fielding lapse running up starter Clay Holmes' pitch count and costing him an inning (see below), the bullpen was called on once again to hold a big lead. While some of us were scanning the stands for Henry Rowengartner, Brooks Raley pitched s relatively clean sixth. Reed Garrett was nicked for two-run homer by Cal Raleigh, cutting the Mets' lead to four, but aside from a walk, Ryan Helsley made it through the eighth and Tyler Rogers -- the Mets' answer to Everyday Eddie Guardado -- got two quick outs in the ninth before surrendering two singles and raising fans' blood pressure. But then he got Josh Naylor to ground out to second, ending the game. That gust you heard was all of us exhaling.

Julio, downed by the schoolyard

Of all the players on both teams, Mariners center fielder seemed to have the most trouble adjusting to the minor league caliber balloark. Whether it was the lighting or the different perspective as a ball came off the bat, Rodriguez misplayed two balls that resulted in Mets runs: Francisco Alvarez' double to center in the second that scored the Mets' first run and Francisco Lindor's fly to right in the fifth. Rodriguez called off right fielder Dominic Canzone and then dropped the ball as he ran to his left. Cedric Mullins scored the Mets' seventh run.

Sometimes, you shouldn't use two hands

Clay Holmes sailed through the first three innings, so it didn't seem that alarming when he yielded a leadoff double to Julio Rodriguez in the fourth. Holmes struck out Josh Naylor and got Eugenio Suarez to ground out to short. it looked like Holmes would not fall victim to the Fourth Inning Curse. But then Jorge Polanco hit a soft line drive up the middle that appeared to be heading for Francisco Lindor's glove -- and at least 99 times out of a 100 it gets there. But Lindor tried to make it a two-handed catch instead of one. The ball went through Lindor's raised arms -- signaling field goal more than catch -- and into center field. Rodriguez scored. And Holmes appeared to be unravel. Dominic Canzone singled. J.P. Crawford walked and Holmes' pitch count started soaring until he got Cole Young to pop out to Lindor. It was only one run allowed, but just as important, 15 pitches Holmes needn't have had to throw -- shortening his outing by at least an inning and requiring more from the shaky bullpen