SAN DIEGO—Luis Severino outdueled Dylan Cease, and the New York Mets broke open a close game late to beat the San Diego Padres 8–3 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series between National League playoff contenders.
Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil had three hits apiece and Mark Vientos drove in three runs for the Mets, who improved to 4–0 against the Padres this season and have won six of their past nine games overall. The Mets pounded out 17 hits.
The Padres came into the day tied with division rival Arizona for the top wild-card spot, while the Mets were two games behind the Atlanta Braves for the final spot.
Coupled with Wednesday’s 11–4 loss to Minnesota, the Padres have dropped consecutive games for the first time since the All-Star break. They are 22–8 in that span.
The Padres eliminated the 101-win Mets in the wild-card round in 2022 en route to an appearance in the National League Championship Series.
For New York, this was the opener of a 10-game road trip that includes three games against the Diamondbacks.
“Winning the first game is huge for us,” Severino said. “Hopefully, we continue to do that. We showed today we have a good team that can hit. Cease is a great pitcher, and we went out there and got a couple hits against him and knocked him down before seven innings. If we can do that from now on, we’re going to be good.”
Severino (9–6) held San Diego to one run on five hits in five innings, and struck out five. He was coming off his second career shutout, a 4–0 win against Miami, and kept the Padres in check through four innings while being given a 3–0 lead.
He allowed three of his four walks in the fifth, along with a hit and a stolen base, but surrendered just one run. San Diego loaded the bases with no outs, on two walks and a single, before Mason McCoy scored when Jake Cronenworth grounded into a double play. Manny Machado walked and stole second to give the Padres runners on second and third before Xander Bogaerts grounded out.
“We were good. Just a little trouble in the fifth inning there, walking the first guy there, the No. 9 hitter,“ Severino said. ”As a pitcher I can’t do that. I have to attack that guy. Bases loaded, no outs, big situation, give up one run, glad we got out of that inning.”
Severino said he felt “pretty good” after going nine innings in his previous start.
“I feel like everything was there,“ he said. ”Fastball command was good. Had a good cutter. Didn’t feel tired. I knew my leash was going to be a little bit shorter because of how many pitches I threw last time. But I feel pretty good.”
Cease (12–10), who threw his first career no-hitter at Washington on July 25, allowed three runs on a season-high nine hits through 6 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
![Padres pitcher Dylan Cease agonizes after giving up a fourth-inning RBI single to the Mets' Jeff McNeil in San Diego on Aug. 22, 2024. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F08%2F23%2Fid5711511-Dylan-Cease-600x400.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
Cease fell behind 1–0 after two batters, when Francisco Lindor and Vientos hit consecutive doubles. The Mets made it 3–0 in the fourth after Jesse Winker singled and Jose Iglesias doubled with one out. Winker scored on a passed ball and Iglesias came in on a McNeil infield single.