NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso launched a tying home run leading off the ninth inning, Tyrone Taylor lined a game-winning single and the New York Mets — after going 13 innings without a hit — rallied past the Detroit Tigers 2-1 for their first victory of the season Thursday and a doubleheader split.
“Obviously, nice to get the first one finally,” said rookie manager Carlos Mendoza, who was doused with beer, champagne and eggs following his first big league win.
Harrison Bader’s bloop single to start the eighth was New York’s first hit in the second game. But the Mets (1-5) finally broke through in the ninth and avoided starting 0-6 for the first time since their second season in 1963.
After consecutive rainouts the previous two days, the announced crowd of 15,020 on a chilly afternoon at Citi Field was the smallest for a Mets game, besides pandemic restrictions during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, since the ballpark opened in 2009.
“I’m just really happy that we were able to turn the page and get the win in the second game,” Alonso said.
New York blew a three-run lead in the opener and lost 6-3 in 11 innings after Colt Keith hit a tiebreaking double. Gio Urshela added a two-run single.
Javier Baez had an early RBI single in the second game for the Tigers (5-1), who were the last unbeaten team in the majors.
“We just won two back-to-back series, so obviously happy with that,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “This was a tough loss, no doubt. We had a slim margin pretty much the whole game. Couldn’t quite get anything across to extend it.”
Bader’s soft single to left-center broke up a combined no-hit bid by Matt Manning and Tyler Holton and ended the longest hitless skid (by innings) in Mets history. Alex Faedo stranded Bader at second base by striking out Francisco Lindor.
A converted starter looking for his first big league save, Faedo then gave up the home run to Alonso — his college teammate at Florida — on a low changeup. The drive gave Alonso his 500th career RBI.
“It’s one of those that I just felt it. I’m like, oh nice,” Alonso said. “We definitely needed that one.”
Faedo (0-1) walked Brett Baty, who advanced on Starling Marte’s sacrifice bunt before racing home on Taylor’s first walk-off hit.
“That’s a clutch knock by Bader for us,” Taylor said. “I think after that it gives (the) guys a little sense of urgency, sense of confidence.”
Reed Garrett (1-0) tossed three shutout innings in relief for his second major league win. New York’s rally spared Jose Buttó a hard-luck loss after he allowed one run and struck out six in six innings.
Manning, brought up from Triple-A Toledo to serve as the Tigers’ 27th man for the doubleheader, walked four — including Brandon Nimmo three times — in 5 2/3 innings. But he didn’t come close to giving up a hit, and Holton got the next four outs before Bader singled.
“Honestly, not my best stuff,” Manning said. “I knew the position we were in with the team and the bullpen, doubleheader and everything, and I was just like, just do whatever you’ve got to do to eat up some innings.”
Shelby Miller (2-0) tossed two scoreless innings in the opener for the Tigers, who opened 5-0 for the first time since a 6-0 start in 2015. Detroit earned three one-run wins at the Chicago White Sox before posting back-to-back extra-inning wins over the Mets.
Detroit starter Casey Mize, returning from Tommy John surgery and a back operation, gave up three runs in 4 1/3 innings. The top pick in the 2018 amateur draft hadn’t pitched in the majors since April 2022.
“Felt a lot out there — just excitement and just pride and joy,” Mize said. “The box score wasn’t great, but obviously just super proud of the work I put in and the people who helped me get back, and was super happy to be back and competing in the big leagues with my team.”
Michael Tonkin (0-2) took the loss for the second straight game for New York.
Adrian Houser, making his Mets debut after he was acquired from Milwaukee in December, allowed one run in five-plus innings.
The first-pitch temperature was 43 degrees — the coldest at Citi Field since April 17, 2018. The crowd roared when the sun poked out from behind the clouds in the fifth.
The doubleheader was the earliest, by date, in Mets history and the second-earliest for the Tigers, who played one against Pittsburgh on April 1, 2018.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: DH J.D. Martinez, who is getting into baseball shape in Florida after signing with New York on March 23, is expected to report to a minor league affiliate as soon as Friday.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Finally head home to Detroit for their home opener Friday, when LHP Tarik Skubal (1-0, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to start against Oakland LHP JP Sears (0-1, 12.27). Skubal will be pitching on seven days’ rest.
Mets: Begin their first road trip Friday night in Cincinnati. LHP Jose Quintana (0-1, 3.86 ERA) opens a three-game series against Reds RHP Hunter Greene (0-0, 3.86).
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