Sean Manaea strikes out 11 players, Mets snap Diamondbacks’ winning streak at 6 with 8-3 victory
PHOENIX — Sean Manaea tied his season high with 11 strikeouts, Pete Alonso hit a solo homer and the New York Mets won 8-3 on Tuesday night to end the Arizona Diamondbacks’ winning streak at six games.
Manaea (10-5) allowed just one hit until the seventh inning, when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Corbin Carroll homered. The left-hander allowed three runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings, pitching into the seventh for the fifth time in six starts.
“I have a lot of confidence in my shots,” Manaea said. “I’m attacking guys, getting ahead and finishing them off. It feels really good.”
The Mets opened the scoring in the fifth inning, striking out 12 batters and scoring six runs for an 8-0 lead. Jeff McNeil led off the inning with a double and Francisco Alvarez brought him home with an RBI single, ending an 0-for-17 streak.
“Every player had a really high-quality at-bat,” Alonso said. “It was huge for us and a really good way to start the series.”
The Mets are three games behind the Atlanta Braves for the final National League wild card.
Arizona is 26-9 since the All-Star break and trying to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the NL West. The D-backs are still three games back.
“This game was a little sloppy in some areas,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “When you play a team like the Mets, who has the same goal as us, they’re going to take advantage of it.”
Brandon Pfaadt (8-7) allowed eight runs, six earned, in 4 2-3 innings. He had eight hits and a walk while striking out six. It was the right-hander’s shortest outing since July 6.
The D-backs defense had a rough night with two errors.
“When you put the ball in play, good things happen,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Their defense is going to have to make plays. We got some breaks, but we kept stringing together really good at-bats. With two strikes, we kept battling.”
Alonso’s home run in the top of the second inning gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. It was his 28th of the season and first in more than a week. It was also his 220th career home run — all with the Mets — tying him with Mike Piazza for third in franchise history.
“Mike was one of my childhood heroes, so this is really special,” Alonso said.
McNeil had a double and drove in two runs. Brandon Nimmo added three hits while Francisco Lindor, JD Martinez and Mark Vientos each had two.
Carroll’s home run, a two-run shot to right-center field, was his 15th of the season, including his ninth since the All-Star break. Josh Bell added two hits.
Arizona’s Jordan Montgomery made his first regular-season relief appearance since 2019, pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings. The left-hander is having a tough season and lost his spot in the starting rotation last week.
“I’m very proud of him for being able to adapt and find the solution,” Lovullo said.
TRAINERS’ ROOM
Diamondbacks: 2B Ketel Marte (ankle) and C Gabriel Moreno (groin) have returned to batting practice. 1B Christian Walker (oblique) could participate in simulated games this weekend at the team’s training complex.
FOLLOWING
The D-backs will start left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.94 ERA) on Wednesday night. The Mets will counter with right-handed pitcher Luis Severino (9-6, 3.84 ERA).
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