The New York Mets offense finally found its spark, and it came from an unexpected source—rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing. Making his Citi Field debut, Ewing electrified the crowd and the lineup, leading the Mets to a commanding 10-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Ewing put on a show, tripling, drawing three walks, stealing a base, and driving in two runs while crossing the plate twice. His energy was contagious, and the Mets offense responded in kind.
The Tigers struck first, taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Dillon Dingler launched a solo home run off Mets starter Freddy Peralta, and Spencer Torkelson added a sacrifice fly to bring home another run. But that was all Detroit would get.
From there, it was all Mets. The turning point came when Ewing and fellow rookie Carson Benge began creating havoc on the basepaths. The Mets chipped away with single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, then broke the game wide open with seven runs over the final three frames.
The offensive explosion was a team effort, with the Mets racking up 13 hits. Juan Soto, Brett Baty, and Benge each recorded multi-hit games, proving that this lineup can produce from top to bottom. The energy at Citi Field was palpable, and the Mets will hope this performance is a sign of things to come.
Peralta settled in nicely after that shaky second inning, tossing six strong frames and striking out seven batters to earn the win. He allowed just those two early runs and kept the Tigers at bay the rest of the way.
On the other side, Tigers starter Jack Flaherty struggled mightily, lasting only 3⅔ innings while surrendering three runs on six hits and three walks. Detroit's bullpen fared no better, as Burch Smith, Emmanuel De Jesus, and Ricky Vanasco combined to allow seven more runs. A couple of costly errors in the field only made matters worse for the Tigers.
The only blemish on an otherwise perfect night came when designated hitter Francisco Alvarez exited the game in the sixth inning after wrenching his knee on a violent swing. While the Mets offense didn't miss a beat, Alvarez's status will be something to monitor moving forward.
For now, the Mets will savor a breakout performance that reminded everyone just how dangerous this lineup can be when the energy is right.