QUEENS, NY — Juan Soto wasn’t the only one feeling the love from the sellout crowd at Citi Field on Saturday afternoon, and for the second straight game, he delivered at the plate and continued to round into form.
The New York Mets’ manager, Carlos Mendoza, said the team felt the energy from the 42,339 strong in Flushing on Saturday afternoon as the club shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 3–0 beneath an 82-degree day as they improved to 14–7 on the season. To quote New York’s own Billy Joel, it was “a pretty good crowd for a Saturday.”
“It’s a good feeling knowing that the ballpark is going to be packed,” the Mets’ skipper said. “And the fan base is going to be right behind you.”
Soto was responsible for the game-winning run he drove in in the bottom of the third inning. Pete Alonso gave New York two insurance runs, while the club’s clutch pitching, backed by another stellar Kodai Senga start, and defense held the Cardinals to just three hits.
Here are Saturday’s biggest takeaways from a beautiful afternoon at Citi Field.
Mets’ big bats make the difference
The Mets took a 2–0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, something they wouldn’t relinquish over the stretch drive of Saturday’s game despite the Cardinals’ press.
With two outs, Soto hit a ground ball single up the middle to plate Luisangel Acuña, who had hit a leadoff double but had nearly been stranded after José Azócar and Francisco Lindor both grounded out.
Soto has five runs batted in in his last four games, after enduring an eight-game slump in which he only had one RBI. The Mets’ faithful cheered each time he came to the plate Saturday, just as they had on Friday before he delivered a hit.
“Not only we’re feeling it, the other team is feeling it,” said Mendoza. “You could see that guy on the mound from the other team, the dugout. It’s an environment that people probably don’t want to come here. And that’s what you want. It is great, and that’s why they’re the best.”
Alonso carried the Mets’ offense the rest of the way. He brought Soto home that inning with a double into the left-center gap. In the bottom of the eighth, he cranked a fly ball 443 feet to left field, which cleared Citi Field’s first level. Alonso’s home run was his sixth of the season. He’s now tied for the Major League Baseball lead with 16 extra-base hits — which also tied a club record through the first 21 games of the season, as Jeff Kent replicated this metric in 1994 — and is ranked second in MLB with 23 runs batted in.
“He’s locked in,” Mendoza said about Alonso. “He’s got conviction. He’s got a plan. He’s executing it.
“He’s dictating that bat. He’s ready for his pitches. He’s not missing them, and he’s taking his walk when they don’t want to pitch to him. He’s a dangerous hitter.”
Alonso attributed his consistent success to good mechanics and having a good game plan — he said that from consistency and zone control standpoints, this season has felt better than his 2019 rookie season when he led the major leagues with 53 home runs.
“My game is to see the ball over the heart of the plate and get my best swing off,” said Alonso. “And when it’s not my zone, let it pass. So for me, I think just staying aggressive to my zone is most important.”
Vientos day-to-day with groin discomfort
Brett Baty replaced Mark Vientos at third base and fourth in the batting order in the top of the fifth inning, after the latter left the game due to groin discomfort.
Mendoza said that Vientos was day-to-day, and the club had a “low” level of concern with their everyday third baseman.
Vientos’ injury came after he made a stellar leaping catch to rob Cardinals left fielder Brendan Donovan of a base hit.
“Felt it after he made that jump play,” said Mendoza. “I think the batter right after that play, there was a foul ball that he reacted towards the baseball, and he felt something.”
“Not concerned at all,” said Vientos. “Think it’s just, I didn’t drink enough water, made that play, and then just felt like a little tweak.”
Baty was quick to make an impact after he entered the game. Later in the fifth inning, as the Cardinals had a runner on third and one out, Baty threw out Cardinals shortstop Thomas Saggese at home on a fielder’s choice as Yohel Pozo reached first base. Baty’s play protected what was then a two-run lead and helped preserve the Mets’ shutout.
“That’s not an easy play,” said Mendoza. “If you’re trying to be too quick, it’s not easy. Came in ready to go, and sure enough, got tested, got the job done.”
Clutch pitching, defense combine to hold the fort
The Mets’ pitching staff and timely defense escaped multiple jams Saturday, as they held the Cardinals off the scoresheet.
Senga pitched 5.2 innings, allowing three hits and two walks, without conceding a run for his third straight start. He struck out four and recorded one wild pitch and a hit batter.
“He’s going to give you a chance every night,” said Mendoza. “Doesn’t matter who we’re facing. If they got an ace, we feel good about our chances when he takes the ball. That’s what you’re looking for. That’s what you want. He’s someone that’s gonna match the best of the best when he’s healthy and feeling good.”
In the top of the second inning, Senga faced the bottom of the Cardinals’ order, second baseman Nolan Gorman and Pozo, with one out and runners on the corners. Senga struck out Gorman, then got Pozo to line out to center field.
Senga ran into trouble again in the top of the sixth, after he walked Lars Nootbaar and gave up a Willson Contreras single to open the inning with runners on first and second and no outs. Donovan, after working Senga’s pitch count to 85, grounded into a double play while moving the lead runner, Nootbaar, to third.
Senga plunked Nolan Arenado on his 89th pitch of the afternoon, putting runners on the corners with two outs and causing Mendoza to replace him with Reed Garrett. Garrett required just two pitches to get out of the inning, as he got Alec Burleson to ground out to first.
Senga said after the game that he didn’t quite feel like he was back to his 2023 levels, something he said would come as long as he stays healthy.
“The pitches that are actually coming out of my hand and what I’m imagining them to look like, there’s still a little bit of a difference,” Senga said through a translator. “Getting used to the speed at which I’m growing, going deeper into games. I think my body will slowly adapt, and hopefully I will get closer and get to that form.”
St. Louis again pressed in the top of the eighth. Michael Siani got a large enough jump from first base to evade the double play, while Nootbaar grounded out. Contreras walked to put runners on first and second, and Donovan grounded into a fielder’s choice to put runners on the corners. After Nolan Arenado walked to load the bases, Burleson grounded out to end the inning, as Francisco Lindor made a spinning, on-the-move throw to nail him at first base.
“Elite player doing elite things on both sides of the play,” said Mendoza. “Yesterday, he hit that walk-off homer, and today he’s not doing much offensively. He goes out there and helps the team win a baseball game because of that play.
“That ball gets through, it’s probably a tie game, and who knows what happens after that. Not only to get to that ball, to be able to set his feet, knowing who’s running, who’s getting down the line, and to be able to finish a play like that with ease, I think he made it look a lot easier than what that play was.”
Edwin Diaz, facing the Cardinals’ sixth, seventh and eighth hitters in the top of the ninth, retired all three to record his fifth save of the season. He struck out Saggese after throwing him three straight balls to open the at-bat, then struck out Gorman and got Pozo to ground out to seal the win.
The Mets will close out their series against the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:40 p.m.
