San Diego Padres at New York Mets

Jonah Tong bounces back as Mets take series from Padres with 6-1 victory in finale

Pete Alonso homered for the fourth straight game, Brandon Nimmo also went deep and Juan Soto collected his 100th RBI for the Mets, who won a series for the first time since taking two of three from the Detroit Tigers from Sept. 1-3.

The Mets lead the idle Arizona Diamondbacks by two games for the third wild card and moved within four games of the Padres, the second wild card.

Tong (2-2), who allowed six runs while recording only two outs last Friday, gave up an unearned run on four hits Thursday while racking up eight strikeouts. Beginning with Luis Arráez’s third-inning sacrifice fly, the 22-year-old Tong retired the final eight batters he faced, five by strikeout.

Soto reached 100 RBI for the third straight season with a tie-breaking groundout in the third against Randy Vásquez (5-7). Alonso, who homered in the first, then walked before Nimmo greeted Wandy Peralta with a 389-foot homer to right.

Alonso added a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Vásquez surrendered four runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Key moment Nimmo’s homer was his 24th, tying his career-high set in 2023.

Key stat Tong is the first Mets pitcher 22 years or younger to strike out at least eight batters in a game since 22-year-old Noah Syndergaard whiffed nine on Aug. 25, 2015.

Up next RHP Dylan Cease (8-11, 4.59 ERA) takes on his former team Friday when the Padres visit RHP Davis Martin (6-10, 4.01 ERA) and the Chicago White Sox. The Mets begin their final home series when RHP Brandon Sproat (0-1, 2.25 ERA) opposes Washington Nationals LHP Andrew Alvarez (1-0, 1.15 ERA).

How can I watch San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets?

• TV Channel: Padres at Mets 2022 MLB Baseball, is broadcasted on MLBN.
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