Alonso, bats bail out Mets bullpen in rubber match win over Giants – The Denver Post

The Mets defeated the Giants, 8-4, on an occasionally drizzly Sunday night at Citi Field where the Mets’ big bats refused to let the bullpen blow another lead.

Led by Pete Alonso’s three RBI, the Mets (38-46) batters came-through with clutch hits multiple times to take the rubber match in their series against the Giants (46-38). It was the Mets’ first series win since sweeping the Phillies home from May 30 to June 1.

“It wasn’t always aesthetically pleasing but we got it done,” manager Buck Showalter said.

Leading 6-4 in the 8th inning, Alonso celebrated his third All-Star nod by clubbing a two-run big fly to give the Mets an additional cushion on a night where Mets pitchers repeatedly played with fire.

In his second start after getting called back up to the big leagues, David Peterson ended the first and second innings on double play balls before the Giants opened the scoring in the top of the 3rd.

After Bryce Johnson was originally called out trying to steal third base, the call was overturned and he scored on a Thairos Estrada infield single. But Peterson got out of another scrape when Estrada was gunned down by Francisco Alvarez trying to swipe second.

In the bottom of the inning, Alvarez walked and Brandon Nimmo was hit by Alex Wood, who had replaced the pitch-count-limited Ross Stripling. After Tommy Pham walked, Francisco Lindor was unable to capitalize and flew out.

However, Alonso then walked after a 10-pitch at-bat to tie the game. Nimmo and Pham then scored after Brandon Crawford couldn’t corral an errant throw from Estrada after Jeff McNeil chopped a grounder up the middle into short center field.

Peterson then got out of another jam in the fourth, getting Casey Schmitt to ground out weakly with runners on second and third. Peterson left after four innings, one run, three strikes outs and three walks. He also lowered his ERA again.

“I felt like I could keep going,” Peterson said postgame. “I felt like we got off to a good start and obviously the offense gave us a good cushion there by putting up some runs. It’s a great team win, a good series win.”

Mark Canha led off the fourth a solo shot to left — his first since June 1 — to add to the Mets’ advantage.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, a fan fell over the wall onto the warning track and was escorted off the field by security. He was later spotted by the broadcast back in his section, speaking to a group of fans.

Grant Hartwig (1-1) replaced Peterson and toss two scoreless innnings.

The Mets came close to blowing another lead after Jeff Brigham took over in the 7th and gave up three runs while recording only one out, including a two-run homer by pitch-hitter Blake Sabol. The Giants then cut the score to 5-4 after J.D. Davis’ RBI double of Dominic Leone. However, lefty Brooks Raley came in to face Brandon Crawford who promptly grounded out to Lindor to end the threat.

In the bottom of the 7th, Alonso drilled a double and came around on Starling Marte’s bloop single to left to make it 6-4.

Raley and Adam Ottavino teamed up to load the bases in the 8th, the setup man struck out Davis to set the table for Alonso’s game-sealing blast — his 171st since his rookie season in 2019, the most in MLB over that span.

“It’s not like one day fixes everything, but today felt great,” Alonso said. “I still hit a ball hard in the first inning, I hit a line drive up the middle, but I thought I did a really good job of having the best at-bats I could and that’s what I try and do every day.”

David Robertson came in for the 9th and struck out two to end the game and keep the Mets undefeated in July.

With News Wire Services

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