NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso homered to start a six-run fourth inning and the New York Mets blew out the Minnesota Twins 15-2 on Monday night, turning the opener of an interleague series between playoff contenders into a lopsided laugher.
Jeff McNeil and Luis Torrens each drove in three runs for the Mets, who batted around twice in a three-inning span. Every starter had at least one RBI besides newcomer Jesse Winker, who singled and scored in his first Mets start before getting lifted in the sixth.
Winker was acquired from Washington for minor league pitcher Tyler Stuart in a trade finalized Sunday morning.
Jose Quintana (6-6) fell behind 1-0 after five pitches but kept Minnesota off the scoreboard after that, throwing six effective innings to win his second consecutive start.
Torrens had three of New York’s 17 hits against six Twins pitchers. The most successful was perhaps outfielder Matt Wallner, who held the Mets scoreless over the final 1 1/3 innings while throwing 40-42 mph rainbows in his first major league appearance on the mound.
Alonso went deep for the second straight game and added a run-scoring double. Brandon Nimmo and J.D. Martinez also had two RBIs.
New York’s first seven batters reached safely in the fourth against rookie starter Simeon Woods Richardson (3-2), a former Mets farmhand. The Mets sent 10 batters to the plate that inning and 11 in a five-run sixth that made it 11-1.
Jose Buttó pitched three innings for his second save, giving up a solo homer to Ryan Jeffers in the ninth. Jeffers was robbed of a home run in the seventh on a sensational catch by a leaping Tyrone Taylor in right field.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Twins: 3B Jose Miranda was not in the lineup but planned to work out before the game and seemed to be doing OK, manager Rocco Baldelli said. Miranda exited Sunday’s victory at Detroit in the first inning after getting hit in the cheek with a 95 mph fastball. It appeared his protective ear flap took most of the impact, and he walked off the field unaided after getting checked by the athletic training staff.
Mets: C Francisco Alvarez sat out with a sore left shoulder but was available off the bench. … CF Harrison Bader (right ankle) returned to the lineup after missing five games. He was hit on the ankle by an 83 mph slider in the sixth and shaken up, but remained in the game. … RHP Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder impingement) is scheduled to make his next rehab appearance Wednesday, perhaps at Double-A Binghamton. … Rookie reliever Dedniel Núñez (right pronator strain) hasn’t resumed throwing yet. “We’re still waiting for him to be symptom-free,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s getting better.”
UP NEXT
Twins: Rookie right-hander David Festa (1-1, 8.16 ERA) makes his third major league start in the middle game of the series Tuesday night. Festa was born in nearby New Jersey and attended Seton Hall.
Mets: LHP Sean Manaea (6-4, 3.74) is 5-1 with a 2.48 ERA against the Twins.
