Sean Manaea strikes out 11 as Mets stop Diamondbacks' win streak
PHOENIX — Sean Manaea matched a season high with 11 strikeouts, Pete Alonso hit a solo homer and the New York Mets won 8-3 on Tuesday night to stop the Arizona Diamondbacks' winning streak at six games.
Manaea (10-5) allowed just one hit until the seventh inning, when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Corbin Carroll homered. The left-hander gave up three runs and four hits over 6 2/3 innings, pitching into the seventh for the fifth time in six starts.
"I've got a lot of confidence in all my pitches," Manaea said. "I'm attacking guys, getting ahead and finishing them off. It feels really good."
The Mets broke open the game in the fifth, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring six runs for an 8-0 lead. Jeff McNeil started the inning with a double and Francisco Alvarez brought him home with an RBI single, ending an 0-for-17 skid.
"Every single guy put up extremely high-quality at-bats," Alonso said. "That was huge for us and a really good way to start the series."
The Mets are three games behind the Atlanta Braves for the final NL wild card.
Arizona is 26-9 since the All-Star break as it tries to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the NL West. The D-backs remained three games back.
"This one was a little sloppy in places," manager Torey Lovullo said. "When you're playing against a team like the Mets, who are chasing the same thing we are, they're going to take advantage."
Brandon Pfaadt (8-7) gave up eight runs, six earned, over 4 2/3 innings. He was tagged for eight hits and a walk while striking out six. It was the right-hander's shortest outing since July 6.
The D-backs' defense had a shaky night with two errors.
"When you put the ball in play, good things happen," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "Their defense is going to have to make some plays. We got some breaks, but we continued to put together really good at-bats. With two strikes, we continued to fight."
Alonso's homer leading off the second gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. It was his 28th of the season and first in more than a week. It was also his 220th career homer — all with the Mets — which ties Mike Piazza for third place in franchise history.
"Mike was a childhood hero of mine, so that's really special," Alonso said.
McNeil had a double and two RBIs. Brandon Nimmo added three hits while Francisco Lindor, J.D. Martinez and Mark Vientos each had two.
Carroll's homer — a two-run shot to right-center — was his 15th of the season, including his ninth since the All-Star break. Josh Bell added two hits.
Arizona's Jordan Montgomery made his first regular-season relief appearance since 2019, throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings. The lefty is in the midst of a rough season, and lost his spot in the starting rotation last week.
"Very proud of him for making the adjustment and figuring it out," Lovullo said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: 2B Ketel Marte (ankle) and C Gabriel Moreno (groin) have resumed taking batting practice. 1B Christian Walker (oblique) could play in simulated games this weekend at the team's training complex.
UP NEXT
The D-backs will throw LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.94 ERA) on Wednesday night. The Mets counter with RHP Luis Severino (9-6, 3.84).
