Francisco Alvarez’s clutch swing pushed the New York Mets back into playoff position on Tuesday night. The 22-year-old catcher blasted a two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift New York to a 9-7 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, moving the Mets one game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for the National League’s final wild-card spot.
Alvarez launched his shot over the ivy in left-center after pinch-runner Luisangel Acuña had stolen second, breaking a 7-7 tie.
The Mets overcame an ugly start from David Peterson, who lasted just 1.1 innings and allowed five earned runs, plus a string of defensive miscues that left them trailing 6-1 in the fourth.
Brandon Nimmo sparked the comeback with a three-run home run in the fifth, his 25th of the season, after Francisco Lindor had led off the game with his 29th.
Lindor’s RBI single in the sixth briefly gave New York a 7-6 edge before Chicago tied it again.
Manager Carlos Mendoza turned to Edwin Díaz for a six-out save, and the closer shut the door after Alvarez’s blast.
Box Score | NL Wild Card Standings
The Mets (81-76) look to maintain their position on Wednesday when rookie Jonah Tong takes the ball in the middle game of this series against the Cubs (88-69). The first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].