Francisco Alvarez broke out of his slump with a solo home run and one out in the ninth inning, giving the New York Mets a 4-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
J.D. Martinez hit a two-run home run early in the game, and Tyrone Taylor had an RBI single as the Mets closed to within 1 1/2 games of idle Atlanta for the final National League wild-card spot.
“We talk about how deep our lineup is, but we need these guys to get going,” New York manager Carlos Mendoza said. “As a hitter, when you get a hold of one like that, it can get you back on track. Hopefully that’s the case here.”
Ramón Urías hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning for the Orioles, who fell a half-game behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East.
Alvarez, who started the night with a .167 average since the All-Star break, hit a 3-0 fastball from Seranthony Domínguez (3-3) to left-center field for his first game-ending hit in the majors.
“I got behind and he took a good pitch 2-0,” Domínguez said. “He was patient and he made good contact.”
It was Alvarez’s first home run in 16 games, since July 26. Before starting his home run trot, he admired the 421-foot drive, then shouted, pounded his chest, and gestured toward the New York dugout.
“It’s been hard for him,” Mendoza said. “He cares so much and he wants to win. At times, when we’re struggling offensively as a team, he feels like he’s responsible.”
After rounding the bases, Alvarez threw his batting helmet into the air as he approached excited teammates waiting at home plate to celebrate New York’s eighth walk-off win of the season.
Just to be sure, he went back and stepped on home plate again.
“I don’t know if I missed it, but I came back to touch it,” Alvarez said with a grin. Edwin Díaz (4-1) pitched a perfect inning to earn the win.
Mets starter David Peterson was one out away from finishing the seventh inning without giving up an earned run. However, he balked home Ryan Mountcastle, who had reached base with a leadoff double, and then Ramón Urías hit the next pitch 432 feet to center field, tying the game at 3.
Peterson, frustrated, stood with his hands on his hips and stared at the sky as Urías rounded the bases.
“When I came up, I saw the (pitch) clock was low and that’s my fault. I should have stepped off, been able to kind of reset the clock,” Peterson said. “I threw a fastball on the balk, down in the zone, and should have switched to something else.
I think he saw that. Then we threw a sinker and he was able to hit it out.”
The left-hander ended with eight strikeouts, matching his season high, in a season-high seven innings. His failed pickoff attempt led to Baltimore’s first run in the fifth inning when Jackson Holliday’s groundout scored Urías, who had doubled.
“I felt very consistent with all of my pitches,” Peterson said, “like I could throw any pitch at any time.”
Trevor Rogers, who made his major league debut for Miami at Citi Field in August 2020, allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings in his 10th career start against the Mets.
The left-hander is 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA in four appearances for Baltimore since being acquired from the Marlins at the July 30 trade deadline.
“I thought he was OK,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “It’s nine righties against him, so not an easy matchup. But I thought he kept us in the game.”
Colin Selby and Keegan Akin combined to retire all 10 batters they faced in relief of Rogers, with eight strikeouts. Alvarez’s home run was New York’s first hit since the fourth inning.
Mark Vientos singled in the first inning, and J.D. Martinez drove the next pitch to right-center field, giving him 36 home runs and 98 RBIs in 103 career games against Baltimore.
