Carlos Mendoza Sends Juan Soto, Pete Alonso Message After Nationals-Mets

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Tyrese Alleyne-Davis | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 2:04 PM ET

On Tuesday night at Citi Field, the New York Mets clawed their way to a thrilling 5-4 walk-off victory over the Washington Nationals in the opening game of a three-game set. With the win, the Mets improved to 43-24 on the season and an astounding 25-7 at home — the best home start in franchise history.

The night belonged to the Mets’ twin pillars of offensive power — Juan Soto and Pete Alonso — whose eighth-inning heroics tied the game and reignited the home crowd. It was Soto who first chipped away at the Nationals’ lead, launching a towering solo homer in the third inning — his 12th of the season — off his former teammate MacKenzie Gore. The shot traveled 373 feet the opposite way, extending Soto’s scorching hot streak at the plate.

Later, with the Mets trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, it was Soto again who delivered in the clutch. After Starling Marte worked a masterful two-out walk, Soto ripped a sinking line drive to right field that turned into an RBI double after a misplay by Robert Hassell III.

Pete Alonso then wasted no time, hammering an 0-1 splitter from Kyle Finnegan off the left-field wall to bring Soto home and knot the game at four apiece.

“I kept thinking, let’s get the big boys up there. Let’s give Soto a chance. Let’s give Pete a chance,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza postgame. “With the way they’ve been swinging it, you feel good.”

"The inning started and the whole time I'm thinking let's get the big boys up there"

Carlos Mendoza talks about Juan Soto and Pete Alonso coming through in the 8th for the Mets pic.twitter.com/h4E9SHwsqT
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 11, 2025

Alonso’s RBI single marked his 62nd run batted in of the season — the highest in Major League Baseball — and underscored the slugger’s ability to deliver in pivotal moments. Though he was thrown out stretching for second to end the inning, the damage was done.

The Mets sealed the win in extras, plating the automatic runner in the tenth to walk off the Nationals for their sixth walk-off victory of the season — and fourth straight win in Flushing.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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