Latest news with #GregorySoto
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets' win streak snapped by Padres despite clutch home runs from Vientos, Mauricio
SAN DIEGO — Gregory Soto was in the pressure-cooker for the second straight night, but the Mets newly-acquired reliever could not escape this time around. After Ronny Mauricio jolted the Mets back to life with a game-tying solo home run off Padres closer Robert Suarez in the top of the ninth inning, the Padres wasted no time mounting a response for a second time on Monday evening. Soto gave up a pair of hits and committed an errant throw to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Jose Iglesias, opening the door for Elias Diaz to deliver a walk-off RBI single into right field and drop the Mets, 7-6, on Monday night at Petco Park. "Didn't make a play on a bunt and then with two outs, Diaz got him," Carlos Mendoza said. "But I thought he threw strikes. Life on the fastball. Yeah, they just got him there after we didn't make a play." It ended a topsy-turvy game, which saw the Mets lead by as many as four runs and fall behind in the very next half inning. Mendoza was forced to watch from the clubhouse for the final six and a half innings after being ejected in the top of the third inning. Mauricio's emotional home run was quickly erased in the next half inning, as well, as the Mets saw their seven-game win streak snapped as they fell to 62-45 on the season. "Both teams battled. You're talking about two playoff teams," Mark Vientos said. "I thought it was a great game. It was a pretty long game too. I think we were going back and forth, and they just came out on top today." Frankie Montas, Huascar Brazoban unravel in fifth Frankie Montas worked through trouble in the second and third innings with minimal damage, but could not avoid the big inning in the fifth. After stranding the bases loaded in the second and allowing one earned run on a hit by pitch, walk and RBI single to Xander Bogaerts in the third, Montas could not protect a 5-1 lead in the fifth. Fernando Tatis Jr. led off the frame with a double that careened off Brett Baty's leg at second base. Then, Luis Arraez tagged a two-run home run high off the right-field foul pole. Montas' night ended at 4⅓ innings after he gave up two more hits in the frame. "To be honest, I didn't think I was hitting my spots how I wanted to," Montas said. "They're a really good hitting team when you're falling behind in the count and force you to come into the zone. They're gonna put a good swing on the ball." Huascar Brazoban fizzled under the pressure and a major missed chance. He recorded one out but then was late to cover first base on a sliding play by Pete Alonso that scored a run for the home side. The Padres collected back-to-back RBI singles from Bryce Johnson and Diaz to take a 6-5 lead. "It felt like the game kind of got fast on him after that," Mendoza said. "He hesitated, didn't cover, gave them an extra out and when you're giving good teams extra outs, they're going to make you pay and that was the case today." In a miserable fifth inning for the Mets, the Padres collected five earned runs on seven hits and sent up 11 batters. An adversary behind the plate The frustration boiled to the surface for Juan Soto in the top of the third inning. After striking out in the opening inning against the Padres' Dylan Cease, Soto worked through an eight-pitch at-bat two frames later. Soto took offense to a called strike on a knuckle curve outside the zone and then was fired up further after he struck out looking at a pitch in a similar spot. Mendoza came to Soto's defense and was ejected from the game by home-plate umpire Emil Jimenez. It led to John Gibbons managing the remainder of the game for the Mets. "He had a rough night. There's no way to sugar-coat it there, especially when you're talking about a couple of at-bats there from Soto — some key at-bats," Mendoza said. "You're talking about one of the best hitters in game and you're taking the bat away from him. "I felt like that first at-bat (in the third), Nim struck out on three pitches that weren't close, so he just had a bad night." Soto nearly came unhinged after another strikeout looking on a pitch outside the zone in the top of the seventh inning as Gibbons usher the outfielder away once again. Mark Vientos' first career grand slam erased The Mets grabbed a stranglehold of the game in the top of the fifth inning but could not hold on. One inning after Mark Vientos was robbed of a potential two-run home run by Tatis at the right-field fence, the Mets designated hitter sent a pitch where it could not be retrieved. With two outs and the bases loaded, Vientos battled to a full count and then ripped an outside fastball into the crowd in right field for his first career home run. "Felt good at the plate," Vientos said. "Got two pitches to hit in the location I was looking for and put a good swing on it." Despite a rocky opening half of the season for Vientos, which saw him face a monthlong hamstring injury and struggle to a .223/.280/.361 slash line, he has began to find his form in the season half. Vientos finished Monday night's game 2-for-4 with a run and four RBI. He has now collected a hit in seven straight games, driving in seven runs. This article originally appeared on NY Mets: Mark Vientos grand slam, Ronny Mauricio ninth-inning HR not enough
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets waste four-run lead, snap seven-game winning streak with 7-6 loss to Padres
The Mets snapped their seven-game winning streak, losing a back-and-forth battle to the San Diego Padres, 7-6. New York let up five runs in the fifth inning, blowing a 5-1 lead, and look lost until Ronny Mauricio homered with one out in the ninth inning to tie the game at 6-6. However, new Met Gregory Soto struggled in the bottom of the ninth, including a throwing error to extend the frame, and let up a walk-off single to Elias Díaz. The Mets (61-44) remain 1.5 games ahead of the Phillies for first place in the NL East after Philadelphia lost to the Chicago White Sox. Here are the takeaways... -- New York got on the board in the second inning thanks to some heads-up baserunning by Jeff McNeil. He walked and then went from first to third on Mark Vientos' single, keeping an eye on CF Jackson Merrill fielding the ball while continuing to run. Brett Baty then delivered with a sacrifice fly to left field, putting the Mets up 1-0. -- There was a scary moment in the top of the third inning as Francisco Lindor hit a hard ground ball that bounced and hit pitcher Dylan Cease in the back of the head. The ball ricocheted into foul territory around third base, allowing Lindor to advance to second. Cease stayed in the game and struck out Juan Soto after some questionable calls by home plate umpire Emil Jimenez. Soto then got visibly upset with the strike three call, but Carlos Mendoza came out to defend him and was soon ejected. -- Vientos nearly had a home run in the top of the fourth inning, but Fernando Tatis Jr. leaped at the wall and made the catch to rob the big hit. Tatis did drop the ball out of his glove after landing, but the call on the field remained. Vientos made the most of his redemption opportunity in fifth inning after Cease intentionally walked McNeil to get to him -- launching his first career grand slam over the head of Tatis into the right field stands to put the Mets up 5-1. -- Frankie Montas tossed a quick first inning with a inning-ending 6-4-3 double play, and avoided damage from a bases-loaded jam in the second by striking out Díaz. After a hit-by-pitch and walk in the third inning, Montas let up a RBI-single to Xander Bogaerts that tied the game up at 1-1. Montas then bounced back to retire the next four batters to get through the fourth inning. Montas let up a leadoff double to Tatis that was deflected by Baty and then a rare HR to Luis Arraez, making it a 5-3 game. Montas then gave up a single to Manny Machado and a double to Bogaerts, ending his night after 4.1 IP. He wound up allowing five earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks. -- Despite a great play by Pete Alonso at first base with runners on second and third, Jake Cronenworth beat out Huascar Brazobán to the bag, allowing the run to score. Brazobán's two-out mistake to not cover the base in time caused a complete meltdown -- he let up a game-tying RBI-single to Bryce Johnson and go-ahead RBI-single to Díaz as the Mets all of a sudden trailed, 6-5. The nightmare continued with a wild pitch and walk to Tatis, loading the bases. Francisco Alvarez thankfully saved a bouncing ball from getting by and Brazobán got Arraez to fly out. -- Rico Garcia kept it a one-run game by tossing two scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and one walk with four strikeouts. Ryne Stanek followed up with a scoreless eighth inning. -- After Vientos' grand slam in the fifth inning, Baty lined out to end the inning and the next 10 Mets were retired through the ninth before Mauricio's game-tying home run. Game MVP: Elias Díaz Díaz was a thorn in all of the Mets' pitchers' sides on Monday night, hitting the walk-off and going 2-for-5 with two RBI. Highlights What's next The Mets and Padres continue their three-game series on Tuesday at 9:40 p.m. on SNY. Sean Manaea (1-1, 2.19 ERA) makes his third start since returning from injury, while San Diego has yet to decide on a starting pitcher.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pete Alonso and Mark Vientos on Mets win, Gregory Soto on joining club after trade from Baltimore
Pete Alonso's main goal is always to do whatever it takes to help the team win. It's usually his offense that does it but on Saturday night, his leaping catch in the ninth inning preserved the Mets 2-1 win. Mark Vientos, who struck out with bases loaded earlier in the game, redeemed himself with a two-run double in the sixth inning. Joining the team after the game was lefty reliever Gregory Soto, who is "very excited" to join the Mets bullpen.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
David Stearns comments on the Mets acquisition of reliever Gregory Soto from Baltimore
New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns breaks down the acquisition of Orioles left hander Gregory Soto to help fortify the bullpen and adds that "the door remains open" for more moves to be made as the trade deadline approaches.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Gregory Soto had Mets motive behind pre-trade Orioles outing
SAN FRANCISCO — Gregory Soto considered his appearances against the Mets earlier this month as something of an audition for team officials. Knowing the Mets were searching for bullpen help before the trade deadline, the left-hander said Saturday he was extra motivated when he faced the team just over two weeks ago while pitching for the Orioles. Advertisement 'I [wanted to] show them what I was capable of doing,' Soto said through an interpreter after the Mets' 2-1 victory over the Giants. 'Just so they could see what I was able to do so they could trade for me.' Soto pitched 1 ²/₃ scoreless innings combined in those two appearances. On Friday the Mets acquired the veteran reliever in a deal that sent minor league pitchers Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster to the Orioles. Soto, who will be activated for Sunday's series finale against the Giants at Oracle Park, was asked what had intrigued him about potentially getting traded to the Mets. Advertisement Gregory Soto delivers against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 24, 2025. AP 'The way they play the game, the culture that they have here, a lot of Latinos here, as well,' he said. 'This is a team that wants to win, and I want to win a championship, so that is why I want to be here.' Advertisement Tylor Megill threw a bullpen session Thursday and will repeat the process Sunday as he builds up toward returning from elbow inflammation. Tylor Megill #38 of the New York Mets reacts on the mound after giving up runs during the fourth inning. Jason Szenes / New York Post CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS Megill, who is on the 60-day injured list, can't return before Aug. 14, but his rehab will take him even beyond that date. Advertisement The Mets entered the day successful in their past 25 stolen base attempts, the longest streak in MLB this season. Overall, the Mets had converted on 89.4 percent of their stolen base attempts, the highest rate in the major leagues and best in franchise history. The Mets extended their road winning streak to five games but overall are 24-28 away from Citi Field this season. The team's 3.94 ERA on the road this season, entering play, was third best in the major leagues.
