Baseball
Baseball
Alvarez Homers Twice, Scott Dominates as Mets Top Phillies Amid Soto Injury Scare
The New York Mets secured a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, powered by a pair of solo home runs from catcher Francisco Alvarez and a stellar pitching performance from Christian Scott. The win, the Mets' first post-All-Star break, was slightly overshadowed by the precautionary removal of slugger Juan Soto in the eighth inning due to left calf soreness.
Alvarez was the offensive catalyst, launching his 10th and 11th homers of the season against Phillies starter Aaron Nola. His first, a 416-foot shot to dead center in the third inning, broke a scoreless tie. He followed up in the seventh with another solo blast, immediately preceding a solo homer from Brett Baty, extending the Mets’ lead to 3-0. Baty’s continued hot hitting, with homers in two of his last four games, adds intrigue as the team approaches the trade deadline.
On the mound, Christian Scott delivered a masterful performance, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings and striking out seven. The right-hander retired the first six Phillies batters he faced and navigated through a couple of hits, including a double by Bryce Harper, without surrendering a run. Nola, for his part, threw 97 pitches, emphasizing his changeup more than usual, but ultimately gave up three solo shots.
The Mets’ win, which saw them never trail, occurred despite poor air quality that necessitated moving the game up an hour. The late-game exit of Juan Soto, however, raised concerns. Interim manager Andy Green stated Soto experienced left calf soreness, though it was not the same calf that caused him to miss 13 games earlier in the season with a minor strain. Green indicated Soto was pulled as a precaution, given his recent All-Star Game appearance, and is expected to play in the upcoming weekend series.
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