Sep 16, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) hits a solo home run during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
QUEENS, NY — For as much as the Mets needed Pete Alonso’s walk-off home run to break an eight-game skid on Sunday, they needed Tuesday night’s power surge against the San Diego Padres as a “get-right” game.
New York bats bombarded Michael King and San Diego pitching by hitting four home runs in an 8-3 victory at Citi Field — their second straight win and one small step closer toward cementing a postseason spot.
“It was good to get that one on Sunday and get something positive for the off day, but I just thought today, we had some really good at-bats,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Executed a good game plan, especially against King in the first inning. Just good players going out and executing.”
With a 1.5-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks and a two-game advantage over the San Francisco Giants for the third and final Wild Card spot, the scoreboard watching is well underway as both NL West clubs are playing each other this week.
The Mets began their assault from the jump, collecting four straight hits off King — Brandon Nimmo’s RBI single plating the last of that streak, which also plated the first run of the night.
Mark Vientos’ double play could have snuffed out a golden chance to get a crooked number up, but Jeff McNeil ripped a double down the first-base line to score a pair and make it 3-0.
Brett Baty made it five in the opening frame with a two-run shot to right, his 17th of the season.
“I think we were on his heater right from the start,” Baty said. “We really had a good plan going in and executed.”
Francisco Lindor led off the second with his 27th home run of the season, a 382-foot laser that hit the face of the second deck in right field. Two batters later, Pete Alonso mashed his 35th of the season — a majestic, 436-foot shot that landed in the first row of the second deck in left.
The struggling Cedric Mullins recorded his second home run as a Met since coming over from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline to lead off the fourth. It was the last batter King faced, allowing all eight runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
On the mound, the Mets’ piggyback system worked well enough. Clay Holmes went the first four innings on 53 pitches, allowing two runs on a pair of solo shots from Jackson Merrill in the second and Jake Cronenworth in the third.
“For me, it was about attacking and filling the strike zone up,” Holmes said. “Gave up the two homers on the four-seam and the cutter… but where the game was, and even going in, I knew there was going to be a piggyback situation, but you never really know what that entails. So once we got up, I was just being super aggressive and attacking.”
Sean Manaea, relegated to a bullpen role after his continued struggles since returning from the IL in July, was solid in relief, allowing just one run via a Freddy Fermin home run on four hits with four strikeouts in the final five innings of the night.
“Whatever it takes to help this team win, I’m going to do,” Manaea said. “It was good. Fastball execution was really good, sliders were good for the most part… felt good.”
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