Kodai Senga, Pete Alonso Shine As Mets Beat Marlins 5-2
Kodai Senga. Photo by MMO’s Ed Delany
It was Senga Saturday in Queens, New York as Kodai Senga made his Citi Field debut against Trevor Rogers and the visiting Miami Marlins. The Mets defeated the Marlins 9-3 on Friday and were looking to take the series win on Saturday as their three game series continued.
Senga looked strong in his Citi Field debut, giving up just one home run in the sixth to Jazz Chisholm Jr. He struck out six and took the win.
The Mets got a pair of home runs on Saturday in Pete Alonso’s fifth of the year (a two-run home run off of Rogers) and Eduardo Escobar’s first of the year (also a two-run blast). Those two home runs accounted for four of the Mets’ five runs. The other came from a walk as the Marlins continued to struggle to find the zone. The Mets emerged as 5-2 winners to take the series.
Senga opened the game against the Marlins with a four-pitch strikeout of Chisholm Jr. He then allowed two singles before retiring the next two batters he faced to retire the side.
The Mets gave Senga the quick lead in the bottom of the first. Brandon Nimmo led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch. Rogers retired the next two batters he faced, but walked Pete Alonso and gave up a single to Mark Canha to load the bases. The birthday boy Jeff McNeil came up next and patiently earned a walk to score Nimmo and give the Mets an early 1-0 lead over the Marlins before Rogers struck out Tommy Pham to get out of the inning and avoid further damage. The two walks earned by the Mets, however, represented the 13th and 14th Mets walked in the series.
Senga settled in nicely in the second as he struck out the side. Through two innings he had five strikeouts. Rogers followed suit in the bottom of the second with a one-two-three inning, retiring the Mets in order after a rocky first inning.
Senga continued to pitch well in the top of the third. He walked one but retired the three other batters he faced to cruise through the inning. Starling Marte led off the bottom of the third with a single to get the offense started, but the Mets were unable to move the runner as the game remained a 1-0 Mets lead after three innings.
Senga had his second straight one-two-three inning in the fourth as he retired the Marlins in order once again in a strong Citi Field debut. The Mets then put one base runner on with one out in the bottom half of the inning, but Rogers retired the next two to get out of the inning.
NASTY pic.twitter.com/UYk7lx3ynO
— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 8, 2023
An impressive Citi Field debut for Senga continued in the fifth as he struck out one on his way to retiring the Marlins in order for the third inning in a row.
The Mets extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth. After Francisco Lindor hit a two-out single, Alonso followed and launched a long home run to deep left center field that got out in a hurry. It was a two-run blast that extended the Mets’ lead over the Marlins to 3-0. That was Alonso’s fifth dinger of the season as his home run streak continued. He has now hit a home run in three straight games this season.
Pete Alonso makes it a 3-0 Game! This is Alonso’s 5th home run of the year. He has now homered in three straight games!
B5: Marlins 0 | Mets 3 pic.twitter.com/uO1lQJrpug
— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 8, 2023
That was all for Trevor Rogers as well as the Marlins went to their bullpen. They brought in Huascar Brazobán to replace Rogers on the mound with two outs. Brazobán struck out Canha to end the inning.
Senga showed his first signs of struggle in the sixth. He gave up a lead-off home run to Chisholm Jr. and walked two batters. But with two on he got out of the inning to avoid further damage. The Mets defended their starter in the bottom of the sixth by answering back and extending their lead and then some. McNeil earned a birthday double to lead-off the inning. Two batters later, Escobar finally got the momentum he needed with a two-run home run to make it a 5-1 game.
Eduardo Escobar gets the offensive spark he needed! A long 2-run home run makes it a 5-1 game as the Mets answer back in the 6th! pic.twitter.com/jdV8hXUHpv
— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) April 8, 2023
The Mets acquired two more base runners in a single by Nido and a walk by Marte, but they were unable to advance those runners, keeping it a 5-1 game.
Senga’s Citi Field debut came to an end after six innings as Drwe smith came in to replace him on the mound in the top of the seventh. Senga’s final line read: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO, 1 HR, 1.59 ERA.
Things began to unravel for the Mets as the Marlins found their groove in the seventh. Bryan De La Cruz led off the inning with a walk. Two batters later Jon Berti hit a single to put two on.
That was all for Smith as Buck Showalter went back to his bullpen. He brought in Brooks Raley to replace Smith on the mound.
Raley also struggled. He gave up a two out walk to Garrett Cooper to load the bases. Luis Arraez then singled to right field to earn an RBI and make it a 5-2 game.
That RBI single ran Raley right out of the game as Showalter went back to his bullpen for the second time in the inning. bringing in John Curtiss to replace Raley. Curtiss forced Soler to pop out to get out of a bases loaded jam and end the inning with the score still 5-2.
Matt Barnes replaced Andrew Nardi on the mound for the Marlin in the bottom of the seventh. Nardi gave up a one-out double to Canha, his second double of the day, but retired the next two he faced as the Mets left one stranded in the seventh. Curtiss remained in the game in the eighth for the Mets. He retired the Marlins in order on three groundouts as the game advanced to the bottom of the eighth inning.
JT Chargois came in to replace Barnes on the mound for the Marlins in the eighth. He retired the Mets in order in quick fashion. The veteran David Robertson came in to close out the game in the ninth for the Mets. He retired the Marlins in order to solidify the win as the Mets also secured the series.
Senga (2-0, 1.59 ERA) got his second win of the year. Rogers (0-2, 6.00) took the Marlins loss (his second credited loss of the year), and Robertson (2 saves, 0.00 ERA) was credited with the save.
Player of the Game
Saturday night’s Metsmerized Player of the Game goes to Pete Alonso. Alonso was 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk, and two RBIs. As mentioned earlier in the recap, Alonso has now homered in three straight games and has five home runs this season. It seems that the slugger has settled into a groove and he’s now really starting to do some big-time damage early on in the 2023 season.
On Deck
The Mets and Marlins conclude their three-game series on Sunday. Left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett (0-0, 6.00 ERA) will get the ball for the Marlins against right-handed pitcher Carlos Carrasco (0-1, 11.25 ERA) for the Mets.
Also of note, top prospect Francisco Álvarez is expected to get the start behind the plate on Sunday for the Mets.
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