Alonso, Ortega rally Mets to 3-2 win over Angels and stop 4-game losing streak
NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso hit a tying double in the eighth inning and Rafael Ortega a winning single in the ninth to boost the New York Mets over the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Sunday and stop a four-game losing streak.
The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and was 3 for 9 with three runs, two steals and an RBI in his first series since the Angels said he tore a ligament in his right elbow while pitching on Wednesday.
Los Angeles, which won the first two games of the series, took a 2-1 lead in the eighth on Luis Rengifo’s solo homer off reliever Drew Smith.
Francisco Lindor singled against Matt Moore in the bottom half and scored on a double by Alonso, who has 96 RBIs.
Francisco Álvarez was hit by a pitch from Reynaldo López (2-7) leading off the ninth, DJ Stewart singled and Mark Vientos walked. With no outs, Ortega lined a slider into short right field for the second walkoff hit of his big league career and first with the Mets. Hunter Renfroe sprinted and tried to make a catch on the run but the ball glanced off his glove, allowing pinch runner Tim Locastro to score.
Adam Ottavino (1-4) struck out one in a perfect ninth for his first win since last Oct. 4.
Peterson tied a season high with eight strikeouts over seven innings, his longest outing since June 26 last year, He allowed his only run on Chad Wallach’s tying RBI groundout in the seventh,
The Angels’ Griffin Canning struck out nine over seven innings, which tied his longest start this year. Jeff McNeil scored from second base in the fourth inning on a three-hop infield hit by Álvarez. McNeil sped home when Rengifo stopped the ball behind shortstop on the outfield grass and threw home from his back.
EARLY SUNDAYS
Los Angeles is 1-3 in the Sunday early game this year, while the Mets are 1-1.
FOR THE BIRDS
A bird landed near the pitcher’s mound and captured the attention of the crowd of 38,341 during the bottom of the seventh After Canning completed a 1-2-3 frame, two members of the grounds crew tried chasing it away. The bird briefly flew toward centerfield but then circled back and received more cheers upon returning to foul territory behind third base. It reappeared behind third base in the bottom of the ninth.
NO DRAMA
Álvarez was the only player to be hit by a pitch Sunday, fewer than 24 hours after the benches and bullpens emptied when Alonso was hit on the back of the neck by a José Soriano curveball in the eighth inning. Ohtani took a high, inside pitch in the third inning while the Mets’ Daniel Vogelbach backed away from a pitch near an elbow in the sixth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Manager Phil Nevin said RHP Chase Silseth had a “pretty good lump on his noggin” and a headache but that he fared well on tests Saturday night, when he was hit by Trey Cabbage’s throw to third base in the fourth inning. … 1B Nolan Schanuel (food poisoning) missed his second straight game. … 1B C.J. Cron (back) remains sore and has not resumed baseball activities.
Mets: Vientos (left wrist) was activated from the injured list after missing the minimum 10 days. New York also recalled RHP Jeff Brigham from Triple-A Syracuse and designated OF Abraham Almonte and LHP Adam Kolarek for assignment.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHO Lucas Giolito (7-10, 4.32) starts Monday night at Philadelphia, which goes with RHP Taijuan Walker (13-5, 4.02).
Mets: As RHP Max Scherzer returns to Citi Field, RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.54 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series for Texas and RHP Tylor Megill (7-7, 5.54) goes for the Mets. Scherzer is not scheduled to pitch in the series.
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