Monday’s matchup against the San Diego Padres was a rollercoaster for the New York Mets. Tempers flared early as manager Carlos Mendoza got ejected for defending a fuming Juan Soto after the Mets’ slugger was called out on strikes. And infielder Mark Vientos experienced a full range of emotions in an eventful two-inning span.
Facing Padres starter Dylan Cease in the top of the fourth, Vientos drove a 96 mph four-seamer deep to right. It appeared he put the Mets up 3-1 with a two-run bomb but Padres’ All-Star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. tracked the towering shot down. Timing his leap, Tatis got his glove over the wall and robbed Vientos of a home run, per SleeperMets.
While dejected, New York’s fourth-year pro would soon find redemption. In his next at-bat, Vientos worked the count full against Cease with the bases loaded. He then got another four-seamer, nearly identical to the pitch he hammered in the previous inning. But this time Tatis didn’t have a chance to snare it, as Vientos’ blast reached the stands.
Fernando Tatis Jr. may have robbed him earlier, but Mark Vientos replies with a grand slam🤯
✅Vientos to hit a HR (+560)pic.twitter.com/j5P92fMCT5pic.twitter.com/GeHhJklPbu
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Mark Vientos gets grand slam, Mets fall short vs Padres
The grand slam gave the Mets a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning as New York looked to extend its winning streak to eight straight games. The team has found a number of ways to win over the stretch. Soto powered the Mets to a win in the series finale against the San Francisco Giants Sunday.
And, although he’s struggling at the plate, Pete Alonso has contributed with some superb defense. He helped New York get its sixth straight victory with a great game-ending grab against San Francisco on Saturday.
But, like all good things, the Mets’ winning streak has come to an end. Despite Vientos putting the team up big in the fifth inning, the Padres battled back. Luis Arraez answered Vientos’ big fly with a two-run homer and San Diego kept tacking on runs in the bottom of the fifth, taking a 6-5 lead.
Ronny Mauricio tied the game for New York in the ninth with a solo shot. But the Padres responded in the bottom half of the inning. New Mets reliever Gregory Soto got the save opportunity but couldn’t close out the game. He allowed two hits and committed an error as Elias Diaz came through with a walk-off single, ending New York’s streak.
