Mets score double-digit runs in 3rd in row, a franchise first
The New York Mets scored double-digit runs in three straight games for the first time in their 63-season history when they beat the Philadelphia Phillies10-6 on Thursday night.
Coming off 10-1 and 10-0 routs of Washington, the Mets got home runs from Mark Vientos, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez off Philadelphia starter Taijuan Walker.
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.
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 past 20, maintaining a two-game lead over Atlanta for the NL's final wild-card position.
The Mets did the bulk of their damage off Walker (3-7), who made his first start since Aug. 28 after being relegated to three bullpen appearances. He gave up a career-worst four homers along with 8 runs, 8 hits, 3 walks and a hit batter in 3 innings. His ERA rose to 6.91 in an outing that included his 1,000th strikeout.
Philadelphia pitchers walked a season-high eight.
Vientos put the Mets ahead with his 25th homer, a 113.2 mph line drive down the left-field line. Four pitches later, Alonso hit an opposite-field drive to right-center for his 34th homer, giving the Mets back-to-back long balls for the sixth time this season.
Six pitches into the bottom half of the third, Nimmo put the Mets ahead with his 21st homer, a two-run drive to right-center. After Brandon Marsh's RBI single closed the Phillies' deficit to 4-3 in the fourth, Alvarez hit his third homer in six starts, a three-run drive in a five-run fourth that boosted the Mets' lead to 7-3.
"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, down by about 300,000 from last year, was hurt by the summer 2023 departures of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander and this season's slow start.
"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 shouted in an on-field interview heard throughout the ballpark. "This place needs to be rocking 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 better," Alonso said. "It's infectious."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
