Mets Outlast D-backs in 10th for Fourth Win in Last 5 Games: A New Era of Resilience in Queens?

PHOENIX — For a team that entered Friday night tied with the San Francisco Giants for the worst record in Major League Baseball, the New York Mets are suddenly playing with a swagger that suggests the early-season misery might be a fading memory. In a taut, tense, and ultimately thrilling contest at Chase Field, the Mets outlasted the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 in 10 innings, securing their fourth victory in the last five games and injecting a dose of genuine optimism into a fanbase that has been starved for it.

The win was not a masterpiece of offensive fireworks. It was a grind. It was a testament to timely hitting, shutdown relief pitching, and the kind of situational baseball that has been conspicuously absent during the club’s disastrous 14-23 start. On a night when the offense was largely stifled by Arizona’s pitching, the Mets found a way to scratch across two runs in the 10th inning, turning a deadlocked game into a statement win.

How the Mets Finally Broke Through in the 10th

The game’s decisive moment arrived in the top of the 10th inning, with the score knotted at 1-1. The Mets had the benefit of the automatic runner — the ghost runner — placed on second base to start the frame. That runner was pinch-runner Vidal Brujan, a speedster whose presence on the basepaths would prove critical. Facing Kevin Ginkel (1-2), the Diamondbacks’ hard-throwing reliever, the Mets wasted no time.

Mark Vientos, who had already launched a solo home run earlier in the game, stepped to the plate. On the very first pitch he saw from Ginkel, Vientos turned on a fastball and ripped a double into the left-center field gap. Brujan, running on contact, scored easily to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. It was a textbook example of aggressive, intelligent hitting — Vientos was hunting a fastball early, and he got it.

But the Mets were not done. After an intentional walk to Pete Alonso put runners on first and second, rookie Carson Benge stepped into the box with a chance to add insurance. Benge, a highly-touted prospect who has been called up to provide a spark, delivered a clutch ground-rule double to left field. The ball bounced over the wall, scoring Vientos — who had been replaced by Brujan as a pinch runner — and giving the Mets a 3-1 advantage. In a matter of minutes, the Mets had transformed a 1-1 tie into a comfortable two-run lead.

• Key Moment: Vientos’ first-pitch double off Ginkel to score the automatic runner.
• Insurance Run: Benge’s ground-rule double drove in Brujan, who had replaced Vientos.
• Aggressive Approach: The Mets took early swings against a reliever known for his high-velocity fastball.

Pitching Dominance: Devin Williams and Tobias Myers Shut the Door

While the offense deserved the headlines, the real story of this game was the dominant relief pitching from the Mets’ bullpen. After starter Kodai Senga delivered a solid but unspectacular six innings (allowing just one run on a solo homer), the Mets turned the game over to a bullpen that has been a source of both strength and frustration this season. On Friday, it was all strength.

Devin Williams (2-1) entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with the score tied 1-1. The Diamondbacks’ heart of the order was due up, and the atmosphere was electric. Williams, known for his devastating “Airbender” changeup, needed just eight pitches to retire the side in order. He struck out Ketel Marte swinging on a changeup that dropped off the table, induced a weak groundout from Corbin Carroll, and got Christian Walker to fly out to center. It was a masterclass in efficiency and poise. Williams’ eight-pitch inning was not just effective; it was a statement that the Mets’ closer is back to his elite form.

Then came Tobias Myers, a young right-hander who has been a revelation out of the pen. Tasked with protecting a two-run lead in the bottom of the 10th, Myers did not flinch. He struck out the first two batters he faced — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jace Peterson — on just six pitches. The third batter, Gabriel Moreno, grounded out to shortstop to end the game. Myers faced three batters, threw 10 pitches, and recorded his first career save. The combination of Williams and Myers was a one-two punch that the Diamondbacks simply could not handle.

• Devin Williams: 8 pitches, 1-2-3 inning, 1 strikeout. Dominant changeup.
• Tobias Myers: 10 pitches, 2 strikeouts, first career save. Electric fastball command.
• Bullpen ERA: The Mets’ bullpen has a 2.25 ERA over the last five games.

Vientos and Arenado Trade Solo Homers in a Pitchers’ Duel

For the first eight innings, this game was a classic pitchers’ duel, with the only runs coming on solo home runs in the second inning. Mark Vientos got the scoring started for the Mets, launching a towering blast to left field off Arizona starter Zac Gallen. It was Vientos’ fifth home run of the season, and it came on a 1-2 count, a sign of his growing maturity at the plate. Vientos has been one of the few bright spots in a dark April, and his power is becoming a legitimate weapon in the middle of the lineup.

The Diamondbacks answered immediately in the bottom of the second. Nolan Arenado, the veteran third baseman who has been a thorn in the Mets’ side for years, crushed a 2-1 fastball from Senga deep into the left-field seats. The ball traveled an estimated 425 feet, tying the game at 1-1. Arenado’s homer was his sixth of the year, and it was a reminder that even in a down season for Arizona, he remains one of the most dangerous hitters in the National League.

From that point forward, both starting pitchers settled into a groove. Gallen worked seven innings, allowing just the one run on four hits, striking out seven and walking two. Senga matched him, going six innings with one run on three hits, striking out eight. The game became a battle of bullpens, and the Mets’ relievers simply out-executed Arizona’s.

• Vientos’ HR: 5th of the season, 1-2 count, opposite-field power.
• Arenado’s HR: 6th of the season, 425 feet, a vintage swing.
• Starting Pitching: Gallen (7 IP, 1 ER) vs. Senga (6 IP, 1 ER) — a high-level duel.

Expert Analysis: Is This the Turning Point for the Mets?

Let’s be clear: The Mets are still 15-23. They are still tied for the worst record in baseball. But there is a palpable shift in energy around this team. Winning four of five games, including two series victories, is not just a hot streak — it is a sign of a team that is learning how to win close games. Earlier this season, the Mets were losing these exact types of contests. They were blowing leads in the late innings. They were failing to execute with runners in scoring position. On Friday night, they did everything right.

Key factors in the turnaround:

• Bullpen Stabilization: Devin Williams and Tobias Myers have given the Mets a reliable back-end duo. Williams looks like the All-Star closer he was in Milwaukee, and Myers is emerging as a high-leverage weapon.
• Mark Vientos’ Emergence: The young infielder is hitting .310 with 5 home runs and 18 RBIs in his last 15 games. He is becoming the middle-of-the-order threat the Mets desperately need.
• Improved Defense: The Mets committed zero errors on Friday and have made only two errors in their last five games. Clean defense has been a missing ingredient.
• Clutch Hitting: The Mets are 8-for-20 with runners in scoring position over the last three games. That is a dramatic improvement from their season-long struggles.

Prediction: The Mets go for the series sweep on Saturday. If they can win that game, they will be 16-23 and just two games out of third place in the NL East. This is a team that is building momentum. The schedule gets easier in the coming weeks, and if the bullpen continues to pitch like this, the Mets could be a .500 team by Memorial Day. Do not sleep on this club.

Strong Conclusion: A Glimmer of Hope in the Desert

As the final out was recorded and the Mets celebrated on the field at Chase Field, there was a sense that this team might finally be turning a corner. The early-season woes — the blown saves, the lack of clutch hitting, the defensive lapses — are starting to feel like a distant memory. In their place is a team that grinds, a team that pitches, and a team that believes it can win close games.

Mark Vientos is becoming a star. Devin Williams is back to being a dominant closer. Carson Benge is delivering in the clutch. And the Mets are winning baseball games. It is a small sample size, yes. But in a season that has been defined by disappointment, these five games — and this 3-1 victory in 10 innings — offer a glimmer of hope. The Mets are not dead yet. And if they can keep this momentum going, they might just make the National League playoff race a lot more interesting than anyone expected.

The series continues Saturday, and the Mets have a chance to do something they haven’t done all season: win three games in a row. If they do, the narrative will officially shift from “worst team in baseball” to “team to watch.” For a franchise that has been starved for good news, that is a victory in itself.

Source: Based on news from Deadspin.