Brett Baty‘s two-run single highlighted a five-run, eighth inning rally that helped lift the Mets to a 6-2 victory over the Royals Wednesday at Citi Field. It all started with two outs and nobody on base.
Eight consecutive Mets reached base: Francisco Lindor singled, Carson Benge walked, Jorge Polanco reached on an infield single, Jared Young broke a 1-1 tie when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Baty singled, a run scored on a wild pitch, Francisco Alvarez singled in a run, A.J. Ewing doubled and Juan Soto was intentionally walked.
Bo Bichette struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning. He went 0-for-2 in the frame as the Mets sent 11 to the plate.
The Royals (38-55) entered Wednesday coming off back-to-back games of scoring 15-plus runs for the first time in their 57-year history. Christian Scott wasn’t intimidated.
The 27-year-old struck out five over five scoreless innings, allowed three hits, one walk and threw 56 of 90 pitches for strikes. After he fanned Carter Jensen swinging on an 81 mph sweeper to end the fifth on his final offering, he let out a scream before heading to the dugout.
The Mets (39-54) led 1-0 after Ewing drove Steven Cruz‘s 98 mph fastball 420 feet to right center to lead off the first inning with his seventh homer. It was his second straight night with a long ball and after he went deep Tuesday he said home runs are not his goal when he gets in the box. He’s now hit five in his last 14 games.
“That’s not really something I’m pushing for,” he said after the 16-12 loss. “It’s more just line drive stuff, but the fact that I’m getting the ball in the air to the pull side, it’s cool.”
Tobias Myers allowed the tying run in the sixth on a two-out Salvador Perez RBI single. Myers has surrendered at least one earned run in seven consecutive outings. His ERA is 6.14 over 44 innings.
Starling Marte received a nice ovation when he pinch-hit with two outs in the eighth and a runner on second. Brooks Raley (4-3) got him to ground out to second to finish a scoreless inning of work. Xzavion Curry allowed a run in the ninth.
Stat of the Game
Ewing’s first career leadoff homer made him the fifth Met to do it this season. He joins Benge, Bichette, Lindor and Soto. Per SNY, the only other time the Mets had five men hit leadoff homers in the same year was 1962: Elio Chacón, Richie Ashburn, Joe Christopher, Félix Mantilla and Jim Hickman. The MLB record for different batters hitting leadoff homers in a season is six by the 2019 Rays and 2022 Giants.
Player of the Game
Scott lowered his ERA to 3.17 and made it through five innings for the fifth time in 12 starts. He hasn’t gone six this year.
On Deck
The Mets will try to equal the win total of those 1962 Mets. Sean Manaea (1-4, 5.16 ERA) will face ex-Met and 2026 All-Star Michael Wacha (5-6, 3.45 ERA) at 1:10 p.m. ET. The game will air on SNY.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source metsmerizedonline.com ’
