Alvarez, Alonso's clutch hits cap comeback for Mets' 7th straight win

ARLINGTON -- The Mets literally seem to be finding new ways to win during a torrid June, as seen most recently in Tuesday’s 7-6 comeback victory over the Rangers at Globe Life Field. The Mets have met the moment most every time in a season-high seven-game winning streak.

The Mets employed some conventional tactics in rallying from a four-run early deficit; a clutch two-run double from Francisco Alvarez tied the game in the eighth and an RBI double from Pete Alonso gave New York the lead in the ninth inning, respectively. But the Mets also succeeded in more uncommon ways, benefitting from a catcher’s interference call and overcoming a subpar start by Luis Severino, who allowed six earned runs.

Much can and should be made of the Mets’ surging offense, which has set the tone for everything as they have won 11 of the past 13 games. Tuesday took that to another level; the Mets rallied despite entering the night 0-11 in games in which their starting pitcher had allowed five earned runs or more. Teams whose starters allowed 5+ earned runs were 44-277 (.137) this year entering Tuesday.

Severino allowed six earned runs in 6 1/3 innings -- with most of the damage coming on a misplaced cutter that turned into a three-run homer by Josh Smith -- but the Mets enjoyed a night in which a dicey outing by a starter didn’t spoil the game.

“I never felt like we were out of that game,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I think that was the feeling for everybody.”

Alvarez and Mark Vientos each had three hits for the second consecutive night. But in general, the Mets didn’t need gaudy numbers like they had the night before, when they scored 14 runs on 22 hits in a blowout. Instead, Alvarez and Alonso's clutch hits earned New York the victory.

Earlier, Brandon Nimmo hit a solo homer in the sixth inning to answer a five-run Rangers fifth and get the gears going on the Mets’ methodical comeback.

“The way I was thinking about it is, 'Well, we scored 14 runs yesterday, so six isn’t unfeasible,'” Nimmo said. “'We scored a bunch of runs yesterday in nine innings, and we’re not at nine innings yet, so let’s just keep wearing on them.'”

Nimmo’s walk set up the pivotal ninth for the Mets against Rangers closer Kirby Yates. The next Mets hitter, J.D. Martinez, fell behind in the count 1-2, but his two-strike swing struck the glove of Rangers catcher Jonah Heim, who was charged with catcher’s interference after the Mets challenged what was initially called a foul ball.

That moved Nimmo into scoring position, setting up Alonso’s winner, a lined shot down the third-base line.

Alonso was in a position to put the Mets ahead because Alvarez gave the Mets a chance with his tying liner off veteran reliever David Robertson in the eighth.

“That was massive ... that laser to left-center,” Alonso said. “That was a huge at-bat by 'Alvie.' So clutch, 3-2 count ... that was big time.”

“I love the way the guys are playing right now,” Nimmo said. “I love the way they're responding to adversity. Every bit of us could have just rolled over and been like, 'Well, we're playing good baseball right now ... like, we'll get them again, some other time, tomorrow.' But the guys stayed on it and kept fighting to the very end, and we got into situations where we put pressure on them and were able to come through. I think it’s a really special place we’re in right now.”