Mets roll to 12-5 win over Tigers as Alonso, Soto pace offense and McLean earns third win in four starts
Pete Alonso homered twice and Juan Soto added another long ball as the New York Mets beat Detroit 12-5 on Tuesday night, with rookie Nolan McLean delivering six solid innings to improve to 4-0 in his first four major league appearances.
McLean, a 24-year-old right-hander, recovered from a rocky start to retire his final 14 batters, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts. He became the first Mets pitcher to win in each of his first four big-league appearances.
The Mets broke the game open with a six-run seventh, highlighted by back-to-back solo shots from Soto and Alonso that pushed the lead to 12-2. Soto’s homer came one day after he became the first player in the modern era to produce a go-ahead grand slam and a go-ahead triple in the same game; he’s now up to 37 home runs on the season, with five in his past five games. Alonso also delivered a 435-foot first-inning homer that landed between shrubs behind the center-field wall and later added his 33rd homer of the year.
Torrens gave New York a 6-2 edge with a three-run homer in the fourth, while Jeff McNeil drove in three runs and Brett Baty and Nimmo each had three hits as the Mets piled up 17 hits overall. Nimmo and Baty were among several Mets to contribute throughout the night.
Detroit, atop the American League Central, fell to 7-9 in their last nine games. Tigers starter Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-2) was touched for six runs on five hits and two walks in four innings, in his first action since August 13 due to injuries. Reliever Chris Paddack also struggled, allowing six runs and eight hits over 1 1/3 innings after being moved to the bullpen.
Detroit’s two-out rally in the first produced two runs on singles off McLean, but the Mets’ rookie settled in and shut the door the rest of the way.
The Mets won Monday’s series opener 10-8 and now hold a five-game lead over Cincinnati and San Francisco for the final National League wild-card spot. Mets closer? The game notes don’t specify, but Clay Holmes (11-6, 3.60 ERA) is listed as the scheduled Mets starter for Wednesday, with Casey Mize (12-5, 3.95) expected to start for Detroit.
What it means: New York continued to flex its offensive depth with Alonso and Soto powering the lineup, while McLean’s early success provides a promising look at a rookie giving the rotation an unexpected boost. The Mets’ offense is showing it can cover a variety of ways to win, and the five-game cushion in the wild-card race offers some breathing room as they push toward the postseason.
Additional context: Soto’s continued power and consistency at the plate, combined with Alonso’s steady production, give the Mets a dangerous middle of the order. Torrens’ timely homer and multiple contributors from the top of the lineup added to a balanced attack that proved hard for Detroit to slow.
Summary: A strong return to form for the Mets’ lineup, a breakout rookie performance from McLean, and continued big nights from Alonso and Soto helped New York coast to a relatively comfortable road win against a Tigers club aiming to stay in the playoff hunt.
Note: If you’d like, I can add a short player-focused sidebar (McLean’s rookie debut highlights, Soto’s historic two-day performance, or Alonso’s power metrics) or craft a concise post for social media.