What Francisco Alvarez's clutch hit meant for New York Mets' momentum against Los Angeles Dodgers

Time of India

4 days ago

What Francisco Alvarez's clutch hit meant for New York Mets' momentum against Los Angeles Dodgers (Image Source: Getty Images)
Francisco Alvarez ended a month-long dry spell by hitting a double in the 10th inning that won the game for the New York Mets against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. With his clutch hit, the young catcher finished a big comeback that let the New York Mets beat Shohei Ohtani and win again.
His breakthrough came after a tough 57 at-bats without driving in a run, which made his late-game performance especially meaningful for the Mets as they continued to impress in the NLCS rematch.
Francisco Alvarez breaks through when New York Mets needed it most
The pressure was mounting for Francisco Alvarez entering Monday's contest, as the 22-year-old backstop hadn't recorded an RBI since May 4. That drought extended through nearly four weeks of action, creating questions about his offensive contribution to a surging New York Mets lineup.
However, baseball has a way of rewarding patience, and Francisco Alvarez chose the perfect moment to break through. Leading off the 10th inning against struggling Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott, Francisco Alvarez connected on a drive to right field that plated the automatic runner and gave his team the lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The significance of this hit extends beyond just ending a personal slump.
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Francisco Lindor followed three pitches later with an insurance RBI single, showcasing the depth and clutch hitting ability that has propelled the New York Mets to their current hot streak. The victory marked another chapter in what's becoming a remarkable statistical achievement for the New York Mets when Francisco Lindor homers - they've now won 27 consecutive games featuring a Francisco Lindor home run, the second-longest streak in Major League Baseball history.
Shohei Ohtani's brilliance is not enough for Los Angeles Dodgers comeback
Even though Francisco Alvarez played well, the night was also about Shohei Ohtani, who hit his 23rd home run of the season. Yordan's 424-foot homer in the seventh off Max Kranick matched Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners for the lead in home runs for the major leagues. Along with his strong hitting, Shohei Ohtani tied the game in the ninth with a key sacrifice fly, which allowed Tommy Edman to score and led to extra innings after Edwin Díaz lost his first save of the season.
In the 10th inning's bottom half, the Los Angeles Dodgers scored when Andy Pages got an RBI single after José Castillo walked Freddie Freeman. Still, José Buttó got his first save of the year by catching Tommy Edman's powerful ground ball and ending the inning. The Los Angeles Dodgers were especially disheartened because Dustin May pitched well and evened out Paul Blackburn's strong return from a Mets injury.
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The victory sets up an intriguing pitching matchup for Tuesday night, as Clayton Kershaw makes his fourth start of the season for the Los Angeles Dodgers against Taylor Megill and the New York Mets. Fans can catch the action on SportsNet LA locally and MLB Network nationally, with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 PM ET. This early-season series between National League contenders promises to provide more fireworks as both teams look to establish early-season momentum in what could be a preview of October baseball.