The feels-like temperature, on a miserably windy and frigid late afternoon, dipped below 32 degrees. The Mets’ offense, which had tallied one hit — an infield single — in the previous five innings sure looked ready to retreat into the warmth of the clubhouse to get changed and go home.
Which is right about the time the Mets — who continually blew hot air into hands that were covered in batting gloves, such was the chill — warmed up.
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And right about the time the Mets’ bullpen decided conditions like these feel so much harsher for the losing team.
The Mets’ offense awoke late and the back-end of the bullpen that David Stearns envisioned came through in a 4-3, 10-inning victory over the Diamondbacks in front of an announced crowd of 34,753 and an actual crowd that was much smaller and shaking — first out of cold and then excitement when Ronny Mauricio came through with a walk-off single.
The Mets rallied out of a one-run hole in the eighth, watched Devin Williams pitch his way out of trouble in the ninth, saw Luke Weaver strand the ghost runner in the 10th and then walked it off when Mauricio — just called up as Juan Soto was placed on the injured list — drilled a hit to right and jumped around with his teammates in shallow center field after rounding first base.
The Mets, who played extra innings in a third straight home game, have won four straight since dipping under .500. Perhaps this is another sign that the 2026 Mets (7-4) might have better late-game luck than the 2025 Mets.
The rally began in the eighth, when Jorge Polanco connected for a single against former Yankee Jonathan Loáisiga — the Mets’ first hit that reached the outfield since the second inning.
Two batters later, Brett Baty smacked another single through the middle to put runners on the corners for Mark Vientos, whom manager Carlos Mendoza summoned. The sizzling righty was pulled for lefty Jared Young, which worked: Young lifted a sacrifice fly to deep right field to tie the game.
After Williams pitched a scoreless ninth — striking out Adrian Del Castillo to escape a two-on jam, finishing off a strong effort from a Mets bullpen that combined for 5 ¹/₃ innings in which it was charged with zero runs — Weaver was excellent in allowing nothing in the top of the 10th, which he finished by hopping off the mound and raising a fist upon striking out Tim Tawa.
The Mets’ comeback saved them from a loss that largely would have been caused by the automated ball-strike system, which essentially created a three-run swing.
The Mets entered the fifth inning ahead by two runs, and Freddy Peralta recorded two quick outs before the trouble began. A Corbin Carroll single, Geraldo Perdomo walk and misplaced curveball to Gabriel Moreno — which plunked his leg on a 1-2 pitch — loaded the bases and forced Peralta from the game after covering just 4 ²/₃ innings on 101 pitches.
Mendoza turned to Huascar Brazobán, who got ahead of Del Castillo, 1-2, and tried a 97-mph sinker that bore in on Del Castillo. Called a strike, the Mets took several steps toward their dugout as Del Castillo touched his helmet for the challenge that would swing the game.
What looked like strike three turned out to be .3 inches inside. What looked like an escape from Brazobán instead turned out to be an obstacle that would not be overcome.
On the very next pitch, Del Castillo singled hard to right field to score two and tie the game, aided by a poor throw from Baty that rolled across rather than sailed over the infield. Nolan Arenado then blooped a single into left-center to score the go-ahead run.
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Peralta was charged with those two runs (that scored after he exited) on three hits and three walks in 4 ²/₃ innings. He will bemoan the free passes, but his defense also hurt his rising pitch count.
In the second inning, Lindor booted a soft ground ball from Ildemaro Vargas to begin what might have been a rally. With Vargas on third and Alek Thomas on second, Peralta used a good changeup to strike out Ketel Marte and escape.
Two innings later, Vargas laid down a nice, two-out bunt down the third-base line that Peralta pounced upon and threw hard and high to Vientos. On a tough play, Vientos — who otherwise had a solid game at first — could not hold onto the ball, which prompted Peralta to throw seven extra pitches to retire Alek Thomas and end the frame.
