In a chaotic and thrilling contest at a sold-out Petco Park, the San Diego Padres walked off the New York Mets 7-6 on Monday night, bringing a dramatic end to the Mets’ seven-game winning streak. Elías Díaz delivered the decisive blow, a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning that capped a wild, back-and-forth affair filled with home run heroics, spectacular defense, and high tensions.
The game’s conclusion was as dramatic as its preceding innings. With the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth, Mets reliever Gregory Soto faced a critical situation. After a leadoff single by Xander Bogaerts, pinch-hitter Jose Iglesias laid down a bunt. Soto fielded the ball but made a costly error, throwing wildly to second base, which allowed both runners to reach safely. After Soto managed to get two outs, Díaz stepped to the plate and drilled a single into left-center, allowing Iglesias to score the winning run and sending the San Diego crowd into a frenzy.
The loss was particularly stinging for the Mets (62-45), who had battled back to tie the game moments earlier. Trailing by a run in the top of the ninth, Ronny Mauricio launched a clutch solo home run to even the score at 6-6, breathing new life into the visiting team. This followed a monumental blast earlier in the game from Mark Vientos, who hit a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth inning. Following an intentional walk to Jeff McNeil that loaded the bases, Vientos demolished a pitch deep into the right-field seats, giving the Mets what seemed like a commanding 5-1 lead.
However, the lead was short-lived as the Padres (58-49) mounted a massive five-run rally in the bottom of the fifth. Mets starter Frankie Montas, who struggled throughout his outing, gave up a double to Fernando Tatis Jr. before Luis Arraez hit a towering two-run homer that clanged off the right-field foul pole. The rally continued with a single from Manny Machado and a double from Bogaerts, which ended Montas’s night. Reliever Huascar Brazobán entered but could not stop the bleeding, as the Padres strung together three more singles from Jake Cronenworth, Bryce Johnson, and Díaz to take a 6-5 lead.
The game was eventful from the early innings. As reported by the New York Post, tensions flared in the third inning when Mets slugger Juan Soto vehemently argued a strike call with plate umpire Emil Jimenez, leading to the ejection of manager Carlos Mendoza. That same inning, Padres starter Dylan Cease was struck in the back of the head by a hard comebacker off the bat of Francisco Lindor. After a brief check from the training staff, Cease courageously remained in the game.
Fernando Tatis Jr. provided one of the night’s most spectacular highlights in the fourth inning when he robbed Vientos of a two-run homer with a perfectly timed leap at the right-field wall. While he couldn’t stop Vientos’s grand slam an inning later, his defensive gem kept the game close and set the stage for the Padres’ eventual comeback.
For the Mets, the loss highlighted ongoing concerns with their pitching staff. Montas lasted just 4.1 innings, allowing five runs and raising his ERA to 5.46. The bullpen, which has been heavily relied upon, couldn’t secure the win in the end. The team will look to bounce back in the next game of the series on Tuesday night in San Diego.
