Francisco Alvarez's double in eighth helps spark Mets' win over Angels
Francisco Alvarez of the Mets reacts after his eighth-inning double against the Los Angeles Angels at Citi Field on Monday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Francisco Alvarez had 263 MLB games under his belt when he was sent down to Triple-A Syracuse on June 22.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said the team wanted to see how the 23-year-old Alvarez would “respond to the challenge that we gave him” after the demotion.
Challenge accepted.
The Mets recalled Alvarez, who mashed 11 homers in 19 minor-league games, on Monday.
Hours later in Monday night’s series opener against the Angels, Alvarez was one of the heroes in a 7-5 win in front of 41,442 at Citi Field.
He hit a one-out double off the rightfield wall — a ball that crossed up rightfielder Chris Taylor — in a 5-5 game in the eighth inning, moving Brett Baty to third. Baty ultimately scored on Ronny Mauricio’s grounder to third, sliding into home on a missed catch by Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe of Sayville. Alvarez scored later in the inning on Brandon Nimmo’s sac fly.
“It feels good because if there’s only one out in a play like that, I knew that I would be able to get to second and we would have two runners in scoring position at that moment with less than two outs,” Alvarez said through his interpreter.
Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth to notch his 20th save for the Mets (57-44).
Alvarez, who slashed .236/.319/.333 in 35 previous games with the Mets this season, went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. He batted eighth, catching Zach Neto stealing second with no outs in the seventh.
The crowd greeted Alvarez with a loud ovation ahead of his first at-bat in the second inning.
“It felt really good just because of . . . all the struggles that I had earlier in the season,” Alvarez said. “And the way that they kept supporting me and the way that they received me today through all the hard work that I’ve been putting in, it felt really special to be able to get that reception from the fans.”
Stearns, who held a news conference Monday, said Alvarez’s return happened faster than he envisioned. Manager Carlos Mendoza added before the game that “we’re all proud of him, because it’s not easy to do.”
O’Hoppe went 2-for-4 with his 18th home run, a solo shot and his first career homer against the Mets, for the Angels (49-51).
The Mets trailed 5-2 entering the seventh but scored three runs, knocking Angels starter Tyler Anderson out after he mostly cruised through the first six innings.
Alvarez walked after falling behind 0-and-2, and Luisangel Acuna singled to start the seventh. Anderson was pulled for Reid Detmers, who plunked Nimmo to load the bases.
Francisco Lindor’s fielder’s- choice groundout scored Alvarez. Lindor stole second to put a runner in scoring position for Juan Soto, who roped a two-run single up the middle to tie it at 5.
Kodai Senga made just his second start after coming back from a right hamstring strain. Senga’s day was done after only 73 pitches in three innings, and Mendoza said he had about “six or seven more” and did not consider sending him out for the fourth.
Senga allowed four earned runs and four hits, walked three and struck out five.
O’Hoppe’s 401-foot homer with two outs in the second provided the game’s first run.
Senga unraveled with two outs in the third, giving up three runs. He issued two walks and surrendered a two-run double to Taylor Ward and an RBI single to Jo Adell before getting out of the inning.
“I think it all just comes down to mechanics,” Senga said through his interpreter. “I was thinking about a lot of things, and it didn’t come to fruition.”
Baty sliced the Mets’ deficit in half in the fourth. His two-out, two-run shot into the Angels’ bullpen made it 4-2.
Kevin Herget gave the Mets 2 1⁄3 scoreless innings in immediate relief of Senga.
Huascar Brazoban got two quick outs in the seventh and Brooks Raley (1-0) tossed a scoreless eighth in his second appearance since returning from Tommy John surgery.
“[Alvarez’s] ability to guide those guys coming out of the bullpen today, you got to give him a lot of credit there,” Mendoza said. “Not only offensively, but defensively. Staying with those guys and keeping the game right there and giving the offense a chance . . .
“A complete game from him.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
