Nolan McLean and the Mets (64-77) took on the Giants (58-84) in the first game of a three-game set at Citi Field. McLean came in looking to bolster what has been a spectacular rookie year, still having an outside chance to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award. The young righty would have a gutsy six-inning performance, but offense was the key to the game as the Mets won 10-6.
McLean began the first inning in ideal fashion, retiring the side without allowing a run. The only blemish to the frame was a one-out walk to Rafael Devers.
The Mets got things going in a hurry in the bottom of the inning, with Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette reaching with a hit and a walk, respectively. Mark Vientos cashed in on the RISP opportunity, slashing an opposite field three-run home run to give the Mets an early lead. Nothing more came of the inning, but the Mets led 3-0 after one.
After a second stellar inning from McLean, Francisco Alvarez deposited a 412-foot, one-out, opposite-gap home run to extend the Mets’ lead. Nick Morabito worked a walk to keep the inning going as the lineup turned back over, before a balk was called to advance him to second base. Lindor got on base courtesy of an error, making it first and third for Juan Soto. Soto was able to beat out a fielder’s choice, driving in another run and keeping the inning alive. Soto stole second base to put a runner in scoring position before Bichette blasted a laser beam home run to make it 7-0 Mets in the second inning before the side was finally retired.
Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
McLean did not fair as well in the third as he did in the first two innings, allowing two runs that cut the Mets’ lead to five runs. Carson Benge led off the bottom of the inning with a single, looking to add more insurance to an already sizable lead. After two outs, Benge stole second base, his 20th of the year. Benge and A.J. Ewing became the first pair of Mets rookies to each steal 20 bases in a season. However, nothing more would come of the turn at bat, with the Mets leading 7-2 after three innings.
After McLean allowed the bases to be loaded with no outs in the fifth, a strikeout and a double play ended the inning, adding to a pattern of escaping jams by the rookie.
McLean came back out for the sixth inning, much to the surprise of everyone watching the game. He worked a clean, one-two-three inning to end his night in excellent fashion with a career-high 105 pitches thrown. Walks continue to be an issue, but his ability to work out of trouble is a skill that is hard to teach, as McLean’s season ERA now sits at 3.06.
McLean’s final line: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, W
After Jared Young walked to begin the bottom of the sixth, Lindor came up with two outs. What followed is what I would call a “Lucas Duda” home run that was blasted into the Coca Cola corner to extend the Mets’ lead to 9-2.
Jefry Yan came on to replace McLean in the top of the seventh inning. The electric lefty could not quite dance out of trouble, as he allowed a run and two runners left on base in two-thirds of an inning before being replaced. Austin Warren came on to make an attempt at shutting down the inning. The right-hander would do just that, keeping the score 9-3 Mets.
Warren came back out for the eighth inning, and things did not go smoothly. After allowing two hits, he allowed a three-run home run that cut the Mets’ lead to three before being pulled from the game. Robert Stock replaced Warren, and promptly allowed a double. Thankfully for Stock, he was able to retire the side before any further damage occurred, with the Mets leading 9-6 in the middle of the eighth.
Alvarez led off the bottom of the eighth inning with his second home run of the night, extending the Mets’ lead. Although nothing else came of the inning, it gave the team some extra cushion for Kodai Senga to close it out.
Senga entered to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” looking to close out a serious opening win for the Mets. The Mets’ August-September closer would do just that, setting the Giants down to win the game.
Player of the Game: Francisco Alvarez
Alvarez had a night he has been desperately needing for a while: a two home-run game. It has been a struggle for the Mets catcher recently, who has been in one of his notorious slumps over the past couple of weeks. However, two no-doubt home runs could change the direction his season is going. On the night as a whole, Alvarez went two-for-four with two home runs and two RBIs. This season against the Giants, he is batting .400 with four home runs in 15 at-bats.
On Deck
The Mets will resume action on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. EST in the second contest of the three-game set against the Giants. Zac Thornton will make the start, looking to add another good outing to a very solid rookie campaign. The game will stream live on SNY, with radio coverage on WCBS 880 and the Audacy app.
