Rookie right-hander Jonah Tong bounced back with a dominant start, and Brandon Nimmo hit a three-run home run as the New York Mets rolled past the San Diego Padres, 6-1, on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field, securing a series win.
Pete Alonso put New York ahead in the first inning with a 445-foot blast to left-center, his fourth straight game with a homer. San Diego briefly tied it in the third on an unearned run, but the Mets quickly answered. Cedric Mullins and Francisco Lindor opened the bottom half with singles, and Juan Soto’s groundout gave the Mets a 2-1 edge and his 100th RBI of the season. Nimmo then launched his 24th homer, matching his career high, off reliever Wandy Rodriguez to break the game open.
Tong settled in after a shaky first, striking out eight without a walk over five innings. The 22-year-old became the youngest Mets pitcher since 2015 to record at least eight strikeouts, showcasing a lively fastball that reached 96 mph. Tyler Rogers, Brooks Raley, and Gregory Soto combined for three scoreless innings of relief before Edwin DÃaz closed it out in the ninth.
Box Score | NL Wild Card Standings
New York (79-74) will begin a three-game series with the Washington Nationals on Friday at 7:10 p.m., with Brandon Sproat making his third big-league start.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].