Alonso, Pham slug Mets to much-needed series win

NEW YORK — In an 8-4 win over the Giants at Citi Discipline on Sunday evening, the Mets did one thing they hadn’t finished since June 1 towards the Phillies: New York gained a collection, taking the rubber recreation towards San Francisco.

New York has gained two consecutive video games, and now heads to Arizona to play a three-game collection towards the D-backs beginning on Tuesday evening.

“It feels nice,” Mets outfielder Tommy Pham stated concerning the collection win. “I hate listening to it’s been that lengthy. We’ll take this collection win and take it to Arizona, and go from there.”

It was a bullpen recreation for the Giants, and the relievers faltered after San Francisco took a 1-0 lead within the prime of the third. With left-hander Alex Wooden on the mound, the Mets took the lead, scoring three runs of their very own.

With the bases loaded, Pete Alonsorecent off being named to the National League All-Star squadwalked to convey Francisco Alvarez dwelling, tying the rating at 1. Jeff McNeil reached on an infield single to second baseman Thairo Estrada that allowed Brandon Nimmo to attain, and when shortstop Brandon Crawford dropped Estrada’s throw, Pham got here dwelling to attain as effectively.

New York added two extra runs towards the Wooden within the following body, as Mark Canha homered and Nimmo got here dwelling on an RBI double by Pham to present the Mets a 5-1 lead. Pham went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a stroll on the evening, elevating his batting line to .295/.362/.530.

San Francisco wouldn’t surrender simply. Within the seventh, the Giants reduce their deficit to 1 towards reliever Jeff Brigham, with Blake Sabol, coming into as a pinch-hitter, mashing a two-run homer, and former Met J.D. Davis lining an opposite-field RBI double.

However the Mets answered again, including an insurance coverage run within the backside of the seventh and two extra within the eighth. Alonso, headed to the Home Run Derby subsequent week along with the All-Star Sport, highlighted the scoring with a two-run homer off right-hander Ryan Walker. Alonso ended up going 2-for-4 within the recreation. It was solely his second multihit recreation since June 1, and his first homer since June 25.

The best way supervisor Buck Showalter noticed it, after a 10-for-66 (.152) June that Alonso wish to neglect, the slugger wanted a recreation like this one.

“He beats himself up, as a result of he takes on the duty of how a lot his teammates rely upon him,” Showalter stated about Alonso. “It’s arduous doing the issues he spoils us with. … You are feeling with good hitters like him, any person goes to pay down the road. He remembers it, too.”

Alonso stated he’s grateful to have Showalter as an individual to speak to regularly. They usually discuss by telephone or textual content late at evening when Alonso feels down.

“It’s all the time nice speaking ball with Buck, as a result of he has had so many gamers which were within the recreation a very long time,” Alonso stated. “He is a good man to shoot the breeze with, after which additionally discuss baseball. He has been round quite a bit. He’s mainly like a strolling baseball encyclopedia. He has seen and finished quite a bit on this recreation. Good man to type of choose his mind.”

Mets relievers Brooks Raley, Adam Ottavino and David Robertson have been capable of cease the bleeding by shutting down San Francisco within the final 2 1/3 innings of the sport, stabilizing the sport after Brigham allowed three runs.

“It was hard-fought. [The Giants] are enjoying nearly as good as anyone,” Showalter stated. “We talked about it earlier than the collection, that we have now an opportunity to get some traction towards a extremely good workforce that’s on the prime of its recreation, and see if we will do one thing with it.

“We have been lucky that Michael Conforto wasn’t obtainable. He makes them even higher. Mike Yastrzemski wasn’t right here. Now we have folks we don’t have right here [too]. It’s a part of the gig.”