McNeil ends home run drought, Mets surpass .500 mark with beats over Astros

NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil scored in the sixth inning Friday night, propelling the New York Mets to a 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros and moving them above .500 for the first time since May 2nd.

The Mets are 18-6 since May 30 — the day after the players’ team meeting following a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers — improving to 40-39.

It’s the fourth time in team history that New York has climbed above .500 after being at least 11 games below the breakeven mark.

“I think we’re just in a good spot,” McNeil said. “We’re playing solid baseball. This team is good. This team can do some pretty special things. Back above .500, which is huge.

Alonso broke a 2-2 tie with a one-out homer off Astros starter Ronel Blanco (8-3) — his first walk-off since June 19 and just his third since June 5.

McNeil capped the blowout by ending an even longer power drought with a 346-foot three-run homer just beyond the right-field fence. The second baseman was 12-for-83 (.145) since his previous homer against Cleveland on May 22.

“I thought the ball was going to fall into the corner,” McNeil said with a smile. “I knew it was extra bases, for sure. I didn’t have a better feeling once the ball hit the front row. »

McNeil finished 3 for 4 in his first three-hit game since May 7. The 2022 major league batting champion is hitting just .221 this season, which ranks him 125th out of 144 qualified hitters through late Friday night.

“My year is not what I want it to be and it’s going to be very difficult to save up,” McNeil said. “But what I can do right now is show up every day at the ballpark, play well, even if I can be a .300 hitter from here on out and lead this team, hopefully, to the playoffs.”

Tyrone Taylor hit a home run, Francisco Lindor had a double and Francisco Alvarez added a sacrifice fly.

José Quintana allowed two runs in four-plus innings before a quartet of relievers managed five scoreless innings for the Mets, who have three bullpen members on the injured list and will be without Edwin Díaz until July 6 due to a 10-game suspension for using an illegal substance.

Dedniel Nuñez (2-0) allowed three hits in two innings of relief to earn the win.

“We said guys were going to have to step up and they did today, especially on a night where it was a battle for Quintana,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.

Jose Altuve hit his 39th career home run for the Astros, who had their seven-game winning streak snapped and fell to 40-41 in their attempt to get above .500 for the first time this season. Houston had just five hits in 26 plate appearances with runners on base.

“We’ve had opportunities to score a lot of runs and we’ve done it really well the last few weeks, getting big hits with runners in scoring position,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “That wasn’t the case today, but we’ll turn the page and be ready to play tomorrow.”

Jeremy Peña had an RBI single in the third, a half-inning after misplaying a pop-up while conducting an in-game broadcast interview.

Yordan Alvarez had three hits and a walk in five plate appearances.

Blanco allowed six runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings.

Espada was ejected after Jake Meyers was thrown out in the seventh.

“I thought the strike zone was a little too big,” Espada said.

SING IT

After the game, infielder Jose Iglesias performed his song “OMG,” which he released earlier Friday under the stage name Candelita. The Mets gathered on the field to watch Iglesias before surrounding him and dancing near second base as the song ended.

“The script was perfect,” said Iglesias, who said he wouldn’t have performed the song if the Mets had lost. “The fans appreciated it. The team appreciated it. Great ‘W’ for the team. It was just a special night overall.

Mendoza and Mets players wore “OMG” T-shirts before and after the game. The song has become the team’s victory anthem and is played every time a New York player hits a home run at Citi Field.

“I love it,” Mendoza said before the match. “He has good rhythm. It’s a good day for him and for all of us here. »

TRAINERS ROOM

Astros: Right-handed starting pitcher Luis Garcia (Tommy John surgery) began rehabilitation Friday and needed just 12 pitches to pitch a perfect inning for the Astros of the Florida Complex League, a rookie-level team. Garcia, who underwent surgery on May 19, 2023, struck out two batters. … Outfielder Kyle Tucker (left shin) took 35 swings in the cage Friday. Tucker hasn’t played since fouling his shin on June 3.

Mets: Right-handed starting pitcher Drew Smith (sprained right elbow) believes he’ll need Tommy John surgery or an internal brace procedure after an MRI ‘showed some pretty significant damage’ . Smith, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019, began experiencing elbow stiffness during a June 26 appearance and struggled to get free Sunday night, when he got two outs in the ninth inning against the Cubs before being removed. … Right-handed starting pitcher Kodai Senga (right shoulder) is expected to throw a workout Sunday before beginning a rehab assignment next week.

FOLLOWING

Mets RHP Tylor Megill (2-4, 4.81 ERA) faces Astros LHP Framber Valdez (6-5, 3.68 ERA) on Saturday.

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