OAKLAND, Calif. – Pete Alonso tied the score in the ninth inning with his major league-leading eighth home run, and the New York Mets beat the struggling Oakland Athletics 4-3 in 10 innings to complete a three-game sweep.
Eduardo Escobar scored the go-ahead in the 10th on a wild pitch by Sam Moll (0-2). Francisco Lindor and Tommy Pham also homered for the Mets, who won their fourth straight.
Brandon Nimmo made two diving catches in center field, including one that saved the game in the ninth. David Robertson pitched out of trouble in the 10th for his fourth save.
Lindor’s third homer of the series came two days after he set a franchise record for shortstops with seven RBIs.
Alonso’s solo shot tied it 3-all and matched Dave Kingman for fifth place in Mets history with 154 home runs. Alonso, who has hit safely in nine of the last 10 games, went deep for the second consecutive day when he crushed a 2-1 pitch from Dany Jiménez to center field, one inning after the A’s had gone ahead 3-2 on Shea Langelier’s two-run double off John Curtiss.
Jimmy Yacabonis (1-0) worked a scoreless inning to win his Mets debut.
Oakland (3-13) matched the 1951 and ’56 teams for the worst 16-game start in franchise history.
Making his second major league start, José Butto allowed one run in five-plus innings for New York in his season debut. Butto was called up from the minors and inserted into the rotation when Max Scherzer was pushed back due to a sore back.
A’s starter JP Sears set down 13 straight before Lindor drove a 1-2 fastball into the left-field stands for his fourth home run. Sears permitted four hits and two runs in six innings.
GLOVE WORK
Oakland left fielder Tony Kemp made a diving catch of Escobar’s sinking liner in the fifth.
50 YEARS LATER
The A’s held a pregame ceremony honoring their 1973 championship team that beat the Mets in the World Series. Among those in attendance were slugger Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi and pitchers Vida Blue and Hall of Fame reliever Rollie Fingers.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: Scherzer did some long tossing before the game and is still in line to start Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Athletics: Langeliers returned to the lineup after being limited to pinch-running duties Saturday.
UP NEXT
Mets: LHP David Peterson (0-2, 4.91 ERA) faces the Dodgers for the first time in his career Monday in Los Angeles.
Athletics: LHP Kyle Muller (0-0 5.52) makes his fourth start of the season against the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Muller has seven walks in 14 2/3 innings this season.
