NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and the 2024 New York Mets accomplished what the Darryl Strawberry teams of the 1980s and all their other predecessors failed to: score double-digit runs in three straight games.
Alonso, Nimmo, Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez homered in a 10-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night that followed 10-1 and 10-0 routs of the Washington Nationals.
It was the 9,963rd regular-season game in the 63-season history of the Mets, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“Sick,” Alonso said.
A franchise whose success was dependent on the pitching prowess of Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden and Jacob deGrom finds itself fourth in the major leagues with 740 runs — one more than the Phillies.
“It’s pretty amazing that the Mets have played over 10,000 games and we’re the first ones to do this,” Nimmo said, rounding up. “That’s pretty special.”
New York won its fourth straight game and for the 16th time in its last 20, maintaining a two-game lead over Atlanta for the NL’s final wild-card position and improving to 61-33 following a 24-35 start.
And they're doing this without star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who hasn't played since Sunday because of a sore back.
“We know we’re good,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We're capable of having games like that.”
Vientos and Alonso built a 2-0 lead with first-inning homers against Taijuan Walker, who gave up a career-high four long balls.
After Trea Turner's two-run homer off Luis Severino tied the score in the third, Nimmo hit a two-run homer in the bottom half and Alvarez had a three-run drive in a five-run fourth off that clanked of the plexiglass of the second-deck restaurant in left. Nimmo added an RBI double and scored on Vientos’ single.
Rookie Luisangel Acuña, a brother of Atlanta star Ronald Acuña Jr., drove in the 10th run with an RBI triple in the seventh off José Alvarado.
“We’ve had that trust and belief in each other all year and I think now it’s just coming into fruition, coming to light a little bit more," Alonso said.
Mets home attendance was hurt by the summer 2023 selloff of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander and this season's slow start, down by about 300,000 from last year.
“When Citi’s a vibe and a fun place to play, we totally feed off that,” Alonso said.
After Wednesday's win, Nimmo implored people to fill Citi Field.
“Mets fans, we need you guys to fill this place up!” he said shouted in an on-field interview heard throughout the ballpark. “This place needs to be rockin' on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday! We need your help! We need everybody to get out here! We need this place full! This is playoff baseball. This is what you guys want. Let's go! Let's go Mets!"
A crowd of 35,982 showed up, the most at Citi Field since a Subway Series game against the Yankees in late June.
“It was great energy and a playoff-type atmosphere. Very thankful for that,” Nimmo said. “We need more of it as we go down this stretch and into this weekend. We fed off of it.”
Just three home games remain before a trip to Atlanta and Milwaukee that closes the regular season.
“The more positive energy and the more people that are creating that hostile environment for the road team. I think that just helps us play play better,” Alonso said. “It’s infectious.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
