After losing six straight games since blowing up their roster at the trade deadline, the Mets finally got back in the win column Monday night against the Chicago Cubs. The Amazins’ pulled out an 11-2 victory, riding the coattails of Pete Alonso and Kodai Senga.
Alonso homered twice, providing all of the offense needed for the evening. He blasted a three-run shot in the first inning followed by a two-run bomb in the third, both off of Cubs’ southpaw Drew Smyly. The first baseman’s 32nd and 33rd homers of the season tallied his 18th career multi-homer game, which is the third most in franchise history behind Darryl Strawberry and David Wright.
“Just felt really good all day,” Alonso said. “I was extremely disciplined and I thought I did a great job executing. … I just wanted to take good swings at pitches in my zone. The people in front of me just had excellent quality at-bats and gave me a chance to drive in my teammates. Really fortunate that they had great at-bats in front of me and really fortunate that I was able to capitalize on pitches in my zone.”
While Alonso carried the Mets at the plate, Senga’s strong rookie season on the mound continued Monday night. The right-hander tossed six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out six in the presence of his children who haven’t seen him pitch in a game since last season in Japan. They only have access to Angels’ broadcasts to watch two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
“I just didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of them,” Senga said through a translator.
“Pretty sure that was the third time he pitched on normal rest,” said Showalter. “He seems to [be] getting a grasp for it — he’ll be getting a day before his next time out. … He was sharp again in some tough conditions against a hot team.”
Senga’s season ERA sits at 3.24, which is by far the best mark of any Mets’ starter this season.
The Mets added two more runs in the sixth after Jonathan Arauz worked a bases-loaded walk and Danny Mendick scored on Brandon Nimmo’s bases-loaded, nobody-out double play to extend the lead to 7-2.
Senga called on the grounds crew to tend to the mound in the bottom of the seventh in rainy conditions. The right-hander slipped off of the mound throwing one of his warm-up pitches, which prompted Showalter to remove him from the game with the tarp following shortly thereafter.
“First of all, [Senga] wasn’t going to pitch,” Showalter said. “Certainly, I’m cognizant of what’s going on for the Cubs and understand their position. But, basically, I said ‘Listen, if you’re going to try and start the game here, I’m going to have to get another pitcher in here because I’m not pitching him.’ Then again, what are you telling the guy you’re bringing in? There’s a lot of different sides to that. … I’m here to do what’s best for the New York Mets and our players and their safety.”
The game resumed after a delay that lasted two hours and nine minutes. Mendick greeted everyone back to the ballgame with a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to blow the game wide open, 10-2. Alonso added another in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single off of catcher Tucker Barnhart, who took the ball with the game out of reach.
Brooks Raley came in for relief of Senga and tossed 1.2 scoreless frames before handing the ball off to Drew Smith to finish off the eight. Jimmy Yacabonis got the final three outs in the ninth to secure the 11-2 victory.
The Mets will try to secure the series victory Tuesday night in the second game of the three-game set against the Cubs. Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (6.60 ERA) will toe the slab against Jameson Taillon (5.36 ERA) for David Ross’ squad.
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