(2024) Mets Move into Second Wild Card Spot as Pete Alonso Leads the Way with 5 RBI Night

Tuesday September 17th, 2024: With just a dozen games to go in the regular season, the Mets were a game ahead of the Braves in the third wild card spot entering tonight's game hosting the Nationals at Citi Field. The Mets (82-68) were 14 games over .500. Tonight, they'd be without their leading hitter, Francisco Lindor who was sidelined with injury for the second straight night.

Before the game, Mets GM Davis Sterns & manager Carlos Mendoza addressed the team to continue in the direction they need to be going, even with Lindor out of the lineup. 

Pete Alonso was the only player to speak, saying in his rookie year of 2019 the Mets fell short so he
couldn't celebrate. In 2022 they had a good season but after a rough series in Atlanta fell out of first place, missed out on a divisional tile & although they made the playoffs, were eliminated in the wild card round. This year he wants to celebrate with his team.

With his contract up at the end of the season, it may be his final Mets homestand & last chance to celebrate as well. But tonight, Pete would step up as the team leader once again.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza sent Tylor Megill (3-5) to the mound to face The Nat's Mitchell Parker (7-9).

Tylor Megill gave up a hit in each of the first two innings but held the National's scoreless. In the 3rd inning, a walk & an error on a force play, by short stop Luisangel Acuna, eventually led to an unearned run. It was the only run of the night for Washington.

Tylor Megill would allow just the unearned run thru six innings, on just two hits, two walks & four strikeouts to earn his fourth victory (4-5).  Since his return on August 30th, he is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in three starts.

In the bottom of the 4th, Harrison Bader led off with a walk. Luisangel Acuna then started off his
big night with his first career RBI, driving a double to right center field to score Bader. Next Jose Iglesias singled putting runners on the corners. Mitchell Parker then walked Starling Marte to load the bases. 

Pete Alonso then started his big night with a bloop single into right field bringing in Acuna & Iglesias making it 3-1 Mets. Mark Vientos hit an RBI sac fly making it 4-1.

In the bottom of the 4th, the Mets tacked on a run as Francisco Alvarez hit a solo shot off Parker, for his ninth HR of the year. In the bottom of the 5th, Pete Alonso collected his second hit of the night as he doubled to right field. Two batters later Tyrone Taylor doubled as well bringing in Pete for a 6-1 Mets lead.

In the bottom of the 6th, Luisangel Acuna collected his second hit of the night as he singled off new Nat's pitcher Zach Brzykcy. Jose Iglesias then collected his third hit of the night, raising his season average to .330. 

After Starling Marte flew out Pete Alonso hit his team leading 33rd HR of the season, a three-run shot tying him for the team lead with Francisco Lindor with 86 RBIs. The five RBI night matched a season best from when he drove in five runs in an 11-6 win over the Padres on June 16th. The Mets now had a 9-1 lead.

Quotes- Pete Alonso: "It doesn't come down to one individual. This is a group effort".

In the bottom of the 8th, Luisangel Acuna hit his first career HR, coming off Joe La Sorsa giving the Mets a 10-1 lead. For Acuna he had a three-hit night, driving in two runs in his first start at Citi Field, filling in for the injured Francisco Lindor.

The Mets bullpen of Adam Ottavino, Huascar Brazoban & Alex Young each put in a scoreless
inning in the win. 

The Mets got some help as the Braves, Diamondbacks & Padres both lost on the night, putting the Mets in the second wild card spot, two games ahead of Atlanta & 2.5 games behind San Diego for the top spot.

Trivia: In September the Mets starting pitchers are 14-1 with a collective 1.90 ERA.