Mets 8, Padres 3
The New York Mets‘ early offense and strong pitching propelled them to a dominant 8-3 victory over the San Diego Padres Tuesday night.
What Went Right for the Mets
Mets Early Offense
The Mets scored five in the first inning off Padres starter Michael King. Brett Baty punctuated the rally with a two-run homer. Then, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso each hit solo homers in the second. Cedric Mullins tacked on a solo shot of his own in the third.
It was a big night for an offense that hadn’t scored more than five runs in a game in two weeks. After being the best offense in the league in August, the unit had struggled for the first half of September. Tuesday was a reminder that this group is capable of carrying the Mets to wins.
Pitching Plan Worked Perfectly
New York entered Tuesday’s game with a plan to piggyback starting pitchers Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea. Both starters have had trouble pitching deep into games, so the Mets decided to start Holmes and then have Manaea pitch the back half. That way, it would lessen some of the load on them and a bullpen that has been regularly overtaxed this year.
It worked like a charm. Holmes pitched four solid innings, surrendering only a pair of solo homers. Manaea then finished off the game, giving up just a solo homer to Freddy Fermin and nothing else.
“Being adaptable is a huge asset for situations like this,” Manaea said postgame. “I lean on that.”
Tim Britton of The Athletic said Monday that the Mets expect to do another Holmes-Manaea piggyback Sunday against the Washington Nationals, except with Manaea starting and Holmes coming out of the bullpen.
What Went Wrong for the Mets
In the eighth inning, Francisco Alvarez was hit on the arm by a Bradgley Rodriguez 100-mph fastball and immediately doubled over in pain. He was taken out and replaced by a pinch runner. With Alvarez battling injuries to both hands, the concern for the 23-year-old catcher was palpable.
However, Carlos Mendoza announced postgame that Alvarez would not be undergoing any additional tests. He said that Alvarez was “sore” but that the pitch avoided a vulnerable body part.
Looking Ahead
The Mets continue their three-game series against the Padres on Wednesday night. David Peterson (9-5, 3.77 ERA) takes the mound for the Mets while Nick Pivetta (13-5, 2.73 ERA) toes the rubber for the Padres. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.
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