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This was a big one, and every one of the 38,593 fans at Citi Field knew it. The restless crowd was cheering and nervously half chanting as the Mets tried desperately to catch the hated Braves. The Mets needed this one against their arch nemesis. 

The stage seemed set with Pete Alonso leading off the ninth. But alas, it was not to be. 

Alonso struck out, just like Juan Soto did the inning before, Soto’s strikeout coming with two on and two out. Soto swung and missed at a deadly 3-2 slider from emerging Braves lefty Dylan Lee. 

“He made a great pitch,” Soto said. “He got me.”