SAN FRANCISCO — In a flash, the Mets showed the offensive firepower Sunday that gives them a chance for excellence.
Between a talented rookie hitting a ball into McCovey Cove behind Oracle Park and the highest-paid player in major league history launching a go-ahead blast later in that seventh inning, the Mets were quite the show — and more importantly for their mission, quite successful.
That power display by Ronny Mauricio and Juan Soto led a 5-3 comeback victory over the Giants to complete the series sweep. The Mets extended their winning streak to seven games, matching a season high, and moved 1 ½ games ahead of the Phillies for first place in the NL East.
It was the latest positive sign the Mets have seen from the 24-year-old Mauricio in his comeback from a lost season due to multiple knee surgeries and a needed contribution from Soto, who had tiptoed quietly over the past week.
“We never feel we are out of a game,” manager Carlos Mendoza said, responding to a question about the lineup’s firepower.
Mauricio finished 4-for-4 with two RBIs — his first career four-hit game — to lead the 12-hit Mets attack.
“He’s been working on his swing, putting everything together to come through,” Soto said.
Kodai Senga, in his third start off the injured list, extended to 92 pitches, which took him through five innings. The right-hander allowed three earned runs on four hits and five walks with three strikeouts as his ERA increased to 2.00.
Senga indicated he was largely pleased with his outing, but the walks were an issue.
“Just a lot of noncompetitive pitches — those don’t help,” Senga said through his interpreter. “If I can minimize those, it’s going to help going forward.”
Francisco Lindor’s RBI groundout in the third gave the Mets a 1-0 lead. Francisco Alvarez and Mauricio singled in succession to begin the rally, but after Lindor brought in the first run with one out, Soto struck out to end the inning.
Matt Chapman’s homer leading off the bottom of the fourth tied it 1-1. Senga fell behind 2-0 in the count before throwing a cutter that Chapman launched over the fence in left-center.
Alvarez and Mauricio delivered consecutive doubles to lead off the fifth that gave the Mets a 2-1 lead. Joey Lucchesi entered and got the final three outs without Mauricio scoring.
Chapman’s second homer of the game, a two-run blast in the fifth, put the Mets in a 3-2 hole. Willy Adames stroked a two-out single before Chapman smashed a first-pitch fastball for the seventh homer allowed by Senga this season and third in his past two starts.
Mauricio’s splash hit — a shot into the San Francisco Bay beyond the right field wall leading off the seventh — tied it 3-3. Soto unloaded with two outs, clearing the left field fence for his 25th homer of the season, putting the Mets ahead 4-3.
“[Soto] was talking about hitting the ball into the water, but he hit it to the other side,” Mauricio said. “That’s not fair.”
Soto said he enjoyed chattering with Maurico leading into the at-bat.
“We were going back and forth, just having fun with it,” Soto said. “We just tried to do our best, but he wanted to hit one in the water. He told me that from the beginning.”
Reed Garrett allowed a leadoff single to Adames in the eighth before getting two outs. Brooks Raley entered to face pinch hitter Wilmer Flores, whose infield single put the go-ahead run on base before Patrick Bailey was retired to end the threat.
Mauricio’s fourth hit, a double leading off the ninth, led to the fifth Mets run, with Brandon Nimmo delivering an RBI single.
Edwin Díaz loaded the bases in the ninth before striking out Adames and Chapman to end the game. Díaz’s final pitch was a 98 mph fastball that Chapman swung at and missed. The All-Star closer had walked two in the inning and hit a batter to give the Giants life with one out before recording his 23rd save in 25 chances.
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