Field Level Media
Jun 21, 2023
Alex Bregman hit the tie-breaking RBI single in the fourth inning Wednesday afternoon and Yainer Diaz followed with what proved to be the decisive two-run homer for the host Houston Astros, who outlasted the New York Mets 10-8 in a wild back-and-forth game.
Chas McCormick also hit a two-run homer while Bregman and Corey Julks had two RBIs apiece for the Astros, who won the final two games of the three-game series following a five-game losing streak. Martin Maldonado had an RBI on a safety squeeze while Maurcio Dubon had two doubles.
Daniel Vogelbach had three RBIs and Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer for the Mets, who fell to 0-5-1 in their last six series, a span in which they are 4-13. Starling Marte also had two RBIs and a stolen base while Francisco Lindor had an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Tommy Pham had two steals.
The game lasted three hours and 32 minutes -- the longest nine-inning game of the season for both teams. The teams combined to issue 16 walks, eight apiece, and steal eight bases, four each.
Vogelbach's two-run single in the top of the fourth tied the score at 6-6 and capped the Mets' second rally from a two-run deficit before the Astros responded immediately in the bottom half against Dominic Leone (1-3). Dubon doubled with one out and scored on Bregman's two-out single before Diaz homered on Leone's next pitch.
Alonso's homer off Rafael Montero in the sixth pulled the Mets within a run, but with Pham on second base and two outs, Julks preserved the lead when he made a sliding catch of Brett Baty's sinking liner to rob the rookie third baseman of the game-tying hit.
Phil Maton (1-2), the third of seven Astros pitchers. was credited with the win after giving up one hit -- Vogelbach's game-tying double -- in 1 1/3 innings. Hector Neris and Bryan Abreu followed Montero with scoreless innings before Ryan Pressly struck out two in a perfect ninth to earn his 14th save.
Astros starter Cristian Javier gave up four runs on four hits and five walks while striking out one in 2 1/3 innings -- the shortest start of his career. Mets starter Tylor Megill allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out two in 2 1/3 innings.
--Field Level Media