DETROIT (AP) — homered twice, Juan Soto went deep again and rookie Nolan McLean pitched six solid innings as the beat the 12-5 on Tuesday night.
McLean (4-0) recovered from a rocky start to set down his final 14 batters. He gave up two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out seven, becoming the first Mets pitcher to earn a win in each of his first four major league appearances.
Luis Torrens launched a three-run homer for the Mets, who won the series opener 10-8 on Monday. They moved five games ahead of Cincinnati for the final National League wild card.
The AL Central-leading Tigers have lost seven of nine.
Alonso’s first homer was a 435-foot drive in the first inning that landed between the first and second row of shrubs behind the center-field wall. Soto and Alonso hit back-to-back solo shots in a six-run seventh that gave the Mets a 12-2 cushion.
Soto has 37 home runs in his first season with New York — five in the past five games. Alonso’s second homer was his 33rd of the year.
Jeff McNeil drove in three runs and finished with three of New York’s 17 hits. Brandon Nimmo and Brett Baty also had three hits for the Mets.
Detroit turned a pair of two-out walks into two runs in the first, scoring on singles off McLean before the 24-year-old righty shut them down.
Tigers starter Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-2) gave up six runs on five hits and two walks over four innings, pitching for the first time since Aug. 13 in a season stunted by injuries. Detroit right-hander Chris Paddack, demoted to the bullpen, allowed six runs and eight hits over 1 1/3 innings.
Key moment
Torrens homered in a five-run fourth, giving the Mets a 6-2 lead.
Key stat
Soto homered again, one day after becoming the first player in the modern era to hit a go-ahead grand slam and a go-ahead triple that scored more than one run in the same game.
Up next
Mets RHP Clay Holmes (11-6, 3.60 ERA) and Tigers RHP Casey Mize (12-5, 3.95) are scheduled to start Wednesday.
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