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Try it freeDETROIT – Once Monday’s fourth inning arrived, the Mets became a Juan-man wrecking crew.
Juan Soto’s Labor Day heroics were much needed. Another Mets starting pitcher was struggling, and runs would be necessary to help start this 10-game road trip properly.
Soto’s bat delivered with a go-ahead grand slam in the fourth. And after that lead was flushed, he produced a go-ahead, two-run triple in the sixth.
Finally, the Mets had a lead to keep in a 10-8 victory over the Tigers at Comerica Park.
Soto began the new month in style by matching a career high with six RBIs. This after he produced a 1.009 OPS with 10 homers in August.
The Mets snapped a two-game skid and continued their recent offensive thunder by reaching double digits in scoring for the third time in eight games.
The Mets maintained their four-game lead on Cincinnati for the NL’s third and final wild card.
Sean Manaea had a sixth straight underwhelming start. The left-hander lasted only 3 2/3 innings and allowed five earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and one walk.
Manaea, who has failed to complete five innings in each of his last three starts, saw his ERA jump to 5.60.
Jahmai Jones launched Manaea’s first pitch of the game for a homer to give the Tigers a fast lead. Manaea threw a 92-mph fastball that Jones blasted over the left-field fence.
Luis Torrens got the Mets going with a two-run double against Charlie Morton in the second. Mark Vientos was hit by a pitch for a second straight game before Jeff McNeil singled and Cedric Mullins’ sacrifice bunt advanced the runners. Torrens hit a shot past third base to bring in both runners.
Wenceel Perez’s two-run homer in the third placed the Mets in a 3-2 hole. Manaea walked Gleyber Torres with one out before Perez cleared the left-field fence.
Soto’s second career grand slam – and first in a Mets uniform – reclaimed the lead. Torrens singled to load the bases following Jeff McNeil’s leadoff double and Mullins’ walk before Soto, with two outs, hit his first home this season with more than one runner on base.
But the Tigers weren’t finished tormenting Manaea.
After Dillon Dingler singled in the fourth, Zach McKinstry delivered an RBI triple. Jones’ two-out RBI single sliced the Mets’ lead to 6-5 before Torres’ ensuing single ended Manaea’s afternoon. Gregory Soto got the final out in the inning.
Spencer Torkelson scored the tying run on Ryne Stanek’s wild pitch in the fifth. Torkelson singled leading off against Soto and reached third on Ibanez’s single.
Soto’s two-run triple in the sixth put the Mets ahead 8-6. Torrens singled leading off for his third hit of the game and Lindor was hit by a pitch before Soto delivered, giving him six RBIs on the day. Brandon Nimmo brought in Soto with a two-out single.
Brett Baty’s RBI groundout in the seventh extended the Mets’ lead to 10-6 after McNeil had reached on an error and Mullins walked.
But Ryan Helsley got into trouble in the bottom of the inning, allowing two hits and a run before Brooks Raley was summoned to get the final out.
Jones’ double leading off the eighth against Raley helped the Tigers pull within 10-8 on Perez’s RBI groundout. Edwin Diaz was summoned for the four-out save.