NEW YORK — The Citi Field faithful were desperate for something to cheer about, and on Tuesday night, they got exactly that. Despite both the Mets and Tigers stumbling to losing records 40 games into the season, the matchup still had plenty of drama—especially with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal sidelined and half of New York's lineup nursing injuries. But the fans who showed up were treated to a 10-2 romp that felt like a breath of fresh air.
The Mets capitalized on Detroit's miscues early and often. A series of bobbled balls, a collision with an umpire, and a critical error in the sixth inning handed New York three unearned runs, giving the bullpen some breathing room after Freddy Peralta's solid six-inning outing. Peralta (3-3) allowed just two runs in the second inning on three straight singles and a sacrifice fly, but the Mets answered right back in the bottom half. Rookie A.J. Ewing—making his major league debut—drew a walk in his first big league plate appearance, loading the bases. Francisco Alvarez then beat out a double play to bring home the first run.
The real fireworks came in the seventh. Ewing, a 21-year-old center fielder, smashed an RBI triple for his first career hit, then scored on a two-out single by Luis Torrens. It was the kind of debut players dream about: Ewing finished 1-for-2 with three walks, an RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. The Mets tacked on two more in the eighth, turning the game into a laugher.
But this is the Mets, so not everything went smoothly. Alvarez was pulled from the game in the sixth with a right knee injury and will undergo imaging on Wednesday. His replacement, Torrens, stepped up in a big way—finishing Alvarez's 2-2 at-bat with a walk before driving in Ewing for the eighth run. For Tigers starter Jack Flaherty (0-4), it was a short night: he lasted just 3 2/3 innings, throwing 97 pitches as the Mets grinded out at-bats—something this lineup has struggled to do all season.
For a team that's been searching for a spark, Ewing's debut and the win over Detroit might be just the momentum shift they need. And for fans looking to celebrate, it's a reminder that even in a tough season, there's always room for a breakout star in the making.