(2024) Mets Hit Four HRs & Score Ten Runs For Third Straight Game, Setting a Franchise First While Maintaining Second Wild Card Spot

Thursday September 19th, 2024: After sweeping the Nationals, Carlos Mendoza's Mets opened up the final regular season series of the season at Citi Field. A huge series that may decide their season, as they host the first place Phillies. 

With ten games left to play on the season, they are in the second wild card spot, 2.5 games behind the Padres & two games ahead of Atlanta, while tied with the Diamondbacks record wise, ahead in head-to-head decisions. 

Trivia: Tonight, would have been the 100th birthday of legendary Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy. 

35,982 filled up Citi Field, as Luis Severino (10-6) went up against former Met Taijuan Walker (3-

6). The Mets also went without Francisco Lindor for the fourth straight night as he is being troubled with back issues.

HRs 1&2: In the bottom of the 1st the Mets started where they left off the nights before, putting up two runs on back-to-back HRs from Mark Vientos & Pete Alonso. 

For Vientos it was his 25th HR of the year & for Alonso, who now homered in back-to-back games, it was his team leading 34th HR of the season, fourth most in the NL.

In the top of the 3rd the Phillies came right back, as Trea Turner who put in a few good defense gems at short as well on the night, hit a two run HR to tie it. 

HR#3: But the Mets answered right back in the bottom of the 3rd, as Jose Iglesias led off with a base hit. Then Brandon Nimmo who had shouted out to Mets fand to show up at Citi Field for this big series, came thru with his 21st HR of the season, a two-run shot putting the Mets back on top 4-2.

In the top of the 4th, Severino gave up & base hit to Nick Castellanos & then walked JT Realmuto with two outs. Brandon Marsh then singled cutting the lead to 4-3.

Luis Severino would hold them there; he would go six innings on the night allowing the three runs on five hits. walking two & striking out seven. He would go on to his 11th win, tying Sean Manaea for the team lead.

HR#4: In the bottom of the 4th the Mets put the hammer down, Taijuan Walker hit JD Martinez with a pitch, then walked Tyrone Taylor. 

After falling behind 2-0 to Francisco Alvarez, he served him up a pitch down the middle that Alvarez launched into left field for a three run HR. It was Alvarez fourth HR in the last eight games, as he has driven in ten runs in that time as well. The Mets were up 7-3.

After Luisangel Acuna struck out, Jose Iglesias collected his second hit of the night, keeping his season average at .330. 

Phille manager Rob Thompson removed Walker from the game after giving up eight runs, four HRs & six hits on the night raising his ERA to 6.81 on the season.

Brandon Nimmo greeted new pitcher, Jose Ruiz with an RBI double for his third RBI on his two-hit night, making it 8-3 Mets. Mark Vientos then collected his second hit of the night with a single bringing in Nimmo making it 9-3 New York.

 In the 7th, the Phils put up three runs off Danny Young, highlighted by Bryce Harpers two run double. Harper continued his success against the Mets this season as he is batting .379 with 4 HRs 4 doubles & 11 RBIs in ten games against them.

In the bottom of the 7th, with Kolby Allard on the mound, Tyrone Taylore drew his third walk of the night, as he reached base four times as well. 

Francisco Alvarez then grounded into a force play reaching safely on a botched double play ball. 

Next Luisangel Acuna drove his first career triple into the right centerfield gap, scoring the slow-footed Alvarez all the way from first base. 

For the young Acuna he now had driven in runs in three straight games, with five total RBIs & is batting .421 on the season. As Alvarez took a quick breather lying on the ground after sliding into the plate, the Mets had a 10-6 lead.

Mets Trivia- Franchise First- Three Straight Games Scoring Ten Runs: It was the first time in franchise history the Mets scored ten runs in three straight games- How great is that! In the past three games the Mets scored 30 runs on 36 hits, outscoring their opponent 30-7. 

Ryan Stanek collected two strike outs in a scoreless 8th & Edwin Diaz collected two more strike outs closing out the 9th inning to an excited revved up Citi Field.

The Mets (85-68) remain in the second-place wild card spot tied with Arizona, two games ahead of the Braves & two games behind San Diego for the top spot with nine games left to play. In September they are 13-4, have won four straight & are now a season best 17 games over .500.