The New York Mets faced off against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night, looking to bounce back after a tough doubleheader loss in St. Louis just a day prior. The Mets had been struggling, managing only four wins in their last ten games, and were eager to turn the tide at Chase Field.
On the mound for the Mets was Griffin Canning, who was making waves with a solid season so far, holding a 2.50 ERA entering the game. His opponent, Ryne Nelson, was filling in for Corbin Burnes, who was sidelined due to shoulder inflammation.
The game began quietly for the Mets. Juan Soto reached base with a one-out walk but was quickly erased by a double play off the bat of Pete Alonso, ending the inning without any damage done. However, it was the Diamondbacks who struck first. Corbin Carroll led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run, giving Arizona an early 1-0 lead.
Despite the early setback, Canning settled in after the home run, showcasing his skills with six strikeouts over five innings. He allowed just one run on six hits, and his ability to induce ground balls was on display, as he improved his groundball rate to 51.7% this season.
In the second inning, both teams managed to get a runner on base but failed to capitalize. The Mets’ Brandon Nimmo walked while Eugenio Suárez singled for the Diamondbacks, but both were left stranded. The third inning saw Tyrone Taylor hit a one-out triple for Arizona, but a shallow fly out by Francisco Lindor followed by a thrown-out attempt at home plate kept the game at 1-0.
Finally, in the fourth inning, the Mets found their rhythm. Juan Soto led off with a walk, and after a brief pause, Pete Alonso launched a two-run homer that flipped the score in favor of the Mets, making it 2-1. The inning continued with Nimmo drawing another walk and Mark Vientos hitting a single to put runners on the corners, but they were unable to add to their lead.
As the game progressed, the tension mounted. Canning’s night ended in the sixth after allowing a walk to Pavin Smith, and Huascar Brazobán took over on the mound. He managed to erase the base runner with a double play and struck out the next batter, keeping the Mets ahead.
The seventh inning proved to be a turning point. After a quiet sixth inning, the Mets exploded offensively. Francisco Alvarez led off with a single, and after a strikeout, Taylor hit a double, setting the stage for Lindor. The shortstop responded with a towering three-run home run off Diamondbacks reliever Ryan Thompson, extending the Mets’ lead to 5-1. Soto added a double, and although the inning ended with a double play, the Mets had put themselves in a strong position.
However, the Diamondbacks were not done yet. In the eighth inning, Dedniel Núñez made his first appearance in the majors since recovering from a forearm injury, but it was a rocky return. He walked the first three batters he faced, loading the bases without recording an out. Reed Garrett came in to clean up the mess, but not before Josh Naylor hit an RBI single and Eugenio Suárez followed with a two-run single, cutting the Mets’ lead to just one run at 5-4.
With the pressure mounting, the Mets turned to Edwin Díaz for the ninth inning. After a rocky start where Alek Thomas reached base on a throwing error by Alonso, Díaz managed to regain control. Thomas attempted to steal second but was thrown out, a call upheld by replay review. Díaz then retired the next two batters, securing the victory for the Mets.
The Mets emerged victorious with a final score of 5-4, marking their twenty-third win of the season. They have yet to lose three consecutive games this year, demonstrating resilience amidst a challenging stretch. Alonso’s performance was particularly noteworthy; he went 2-for-4 with a home run and is now 5-for-11 with four homers and eight RBIs in his career against Nelson. Meanwhile, Canning improved to 5-1 on the season, tying him for the National League lead in wins alongside Brandon Pfaadt and Nick Pivetta.
As the Mets look ahead, they have two more games against the Diamondbacks before returning to Queens. The team hopes to build on this momentum and continue their strong performance in the National League.
