NEW YORK — The New York Mets seized a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, securing their first series sweep of Toronto in 24 years. Pete Alonso played a pivotal role, delivering a crucial go-ahead single in the third inning.
The Mets extended their winning streak to four games, with this triumph marking the first time they have swept the Blue Jays since July 15-17, 2001, at their former home, Shea Stadium. The excitement was palpable at the stadium as the Mets persistently outplayed the Blue Jays across the series.
Bowden Francis (1-1) faced challenges in the third inning, issuing walks to rookie Hayden Senger and Juan Soto. Alonso capitalized with a solid single, followed by a sacrifice fly from Brandon Nimmo, which brought Alonso’s RBIs to 11 for the season.
A combined pitching effort led by David Peterson, Max Kranick (1-0), Reed Garrett, A.J. Minter, and Edwin Díaz effectively subdued Toronto’s hitters. Despite Toronto’s attempts, which saw them go 0 for 8 with runners in scoring, they managed only three runs during the series. Díaz, fresh off securing his first win this season, added a second save to his record.
Though battling nausea, Peterson managed to contain Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a full-count curveball in the fifth. But after loading the bases with a walk to Anthony Santander and hitting Andrés Giménez, Max Kranick took over, expertly retiring the next batter and nabbing his first MLB win since late September 2021.
Bowden Francis allowed two runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings, showing resilience on the mound. Meanwhile, Mets catcher Luis Torrens remained sidelined with a bruised right forearm, missing two consecutive games.
A tense moment arose in the ninth when Díaz hit Alan Roden with a pitch and, later, Bo Bichette with two outs. However, he kept his composure by inducing Guerrero into a forceout, ending the game with a well-placed slider.
One standout statistic was Brett Baty’s struggle in clutch scenarios, striking out against Toronto’s Chad Green in the sixth. This continued a troubling trend, as Baty is yet to find success in his 17 bases-loaded appearances in his big-league career.
Looking ahead, the Blue Jays have José Berríos taking the mound against Boston on Monday night, still seeking his first win of the season. Meanwhile, the Mets are gearing up for a three-game series opener against Miami, with Kodai Senga slated to pitch. The Marlins’ roster could see a shift with Sandy Alcantara likely entering paternity leave after the rain out in Atlanta.