NEW YORK (AP) — Francisco Alvarez hit a solo home run with one out in the ninth inning to give the New York Mets a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
J.D. Martinez launched an early two-run shot and Tyrone Taylor had an RBI single as the Mets moved within 1 1/2 games of idle Atlanta for last the National League wild card.
Ramón Urías hit a tying homer in the seventh for the Orioles, who dropped a half-game behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East.
The slumping Alvarez, who began the night batting .167 since the All-Star break, drove a 3-0 fastball from Seranthony Domínguez (3-3) to left-center for his first career game-ending RBI.
It was the first homer in 16 games since July 26 for the 22-year-old catcher, who admired his 421-foot drive, then shouted and gestured emphatically toward the New York dugout.
After circling the bases, Alvarez tossed his batting helmet high in the air as he approached his excited teammates waiting to swarm him at home plate.
Edwin Díaz (4-1) pitched a perfect inning for the win.
Mets starter David Peterson was one out from getting through the seventh without permitting an earned run. But he balked home Ryan Mountcastle, who reached on a leadoff double, and Urías slammed the next pitch 432 feet to center field, tying it at 3.
Hands on hips, a frustrated Peterson stared toward the sky as Urías rounded the bases. The left-hander finished with eight strikeouts, equaling his season best, in a season-high seven innings. His errant pickoff attempt led to Baltimore’s first run in the fifth when Jackson Holliday’s groundout scored Urías, who doubled.
Trevor Rogers, who made his major league debut for Miami at Citi Field in August 2020, allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings in his 10th career start against the Mets.
The left-hander is 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA in four outings for Baltimore since being acquired from the Marlins at the July 30 trade deadline.
Colin Selby and Keegan Akin combined to retire all 10 batters they faced in relief of Rogers, striking out eight. Alvarez’s homer was New York’s first hit since the fourth.
Mark Vientos singled in the first and Martinez drove the next pitch the other way to right-center, giving him 36 homers and 98 RBIs in 103 career games against Baltimore.
With two on and two outs in the fourth, Vientos saved a run by making a diving stop at third base. Pete Alonso doubled leading off the bottom half and scored from third on Taylor’s two-out single.
The start was delayed 10 minutes by rain.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: OF Brandon Nimmo sat out after leaving Sunday’s loss to Miami with right shoulder discomfort. But an MRI came back clean, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. “We got good news,” Mendoza said. “So I think this is just a day-to-day thing.” Mendoza wasn’t sure if Nimmo would be available off the bench. … RHP Dedniel Núñez (right pronator strain) is scheduled to pitch one inning Tuesday for Triple-A Syracuse. He could come off the injured list after that and join the Mets on a critical road trip that begins Thursday night in San Diego.
UP NEXT
Orioles RHP Dean Kremer (5-9, 4.48 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Tuesday night against LHP Jose Quintana (6-8, 4.26).
