Mets get past Athletics in 10 innings to complete sweep

Pete Alonso tied the game with a ninth-inning home run, Eduardo Escobar dashed home on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run in the 10th and the visiting New York Mets spoiled the Oakland Athletics’ 50th anniversary celebration of their 1973 World Series championship with a 4-3 victory Sunday afternoon.

After a diving catch by center fielder Brandon Nimmo prevented the A’s from winning in regulation, the Mets took advantage of the extra-inning runner at second to score without a hit.

Escobar took third on Francisco Alvarez’s infield out. Then, after a strikeout, a walk and Starling Marte’s stolen base, Escobar came home when Zach Jackson’s pitch in the dirt got away from catcher Shea Langeliers.

Sam Moll (0-2), who started the inning, took the loss.

Oakland threatened in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on second and third with one out, but closer David Robertson retired pinch-hitter Conner Capel and Esteury Ruiz on ground balls for his fourth save.

Jimmy Yacabonis (1-0) won in his Mets debut with a scoreless ninth.

Seeking a fourth straight win, the Mets were two outs from a 3-2 loss before Alonso belted his eighth home run of the season in the ninth off A’s closer Dany Jimenez.

New York went on to load the bases with one out on consecutive walks by Mark Canha, Tommy Pham and Jeff McNeil, but Moll came on to get Escobar to ground into an inning-ending double play.

The A’s then appeared to have pulled out a win in the last of the ninth, but Nimmo made a diving catch in center field on Jace Peterson’s bid for a walk-off hit with Tony Kemp at second base.

After emergency starter Jose Butto and Denyi Reyes held a 2-1 Mets lead through seven innings, the A’s put themselves in a position to avoid a series sweep when Langeliers lashed a two-run, go-ahead double off John Curtiss in the last of the eighth.

Butto, who had made just one previous major league start, got the call when scheduled starter Max Scherzer had to be scratched with a sore back. The 25-year-old right-hander worked the first five innings, allowing five hits and four walks but just one run while striking out two.

Oakland’s only run off Butto came in the fifth when Kevin Smith singled, stole second and scampered home on a single by Ruiz.

Pham’s second homer of the season and Francisco Lindor’s fourth, a pair of solo shots, accounted for the Mets’ two runs before the ninth.

A’s starter JP Sears went the first six innings, limiting New York to those two runs on four hits. He struck out three and didn’t walk anyone.

Langeliers, Brent Rooker and Ryan Noda had two hits apiece for the A’s, who dropped their fourth in a row.

–Field Level Media

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