Mets winning with defense against aggressive Padres

It took more than four months of this season, but the run-prevention defense that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns promised last winter finally showed up in a big way Monday night for New York.

The suddenly surging Mets will look to build off a historic defensive effort when they host the San Diego Padres in the middle game of a three-game series on Tuesday night.

Rookie left-hander Zac Thornton (3-3, 2.78 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against fellow southpaw Robbie Ray (10-7, 3.28), who will make his third appearance for the Padres since being acquired from the San Francisco Giants at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Rookie outfielders Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing combined to throw three runners out at the plate in the first two innings Monday night, when the Mets edged the Padres 2-1.

Benge and Ewing helped limit the damage for starter Nolan McLean, who allowed eight baserunners in the first two innings but just the one run.

Benge ended the first by throwing out Jake Cronenworth and Manny Machado on consecutive singles to right by Ty France and Jackson Merrill. Ewing, the Mets' left fielder, closed out the second by nabbing Xander Bogaerts as he tried scoring on Cronenworth's single.

The Mets were the first team since at least 1920 to throw out three runners at home in the first two innings of a game, according to SNY.

The rookie outfielders have been two of the few bright spots for the Mets, who have won 10 of 13 but are still in last place in the National League East. Benge (.273) and Ewing (.249) have combined to hit .263 -- 27 points above the team's overall average -- while accumulating a fielding run value of plus-seven, per Baseball Savant.

Just one other Mets player -- catcher Luis Torrens -- has a fielding run value above plus-one following an offseason in which Stearns parted with Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil in hopes of upgrading New York's defense.

"Without those kids on the corner, we don't win that game, Nolan doesn't get to settle in and pitch six strong innings for us," interim Mets manager Andy Green said. "That game could have spun wildly different without them playing the outfield so well."

The loss could turn out to be costly for the Padres (67-59), who are one game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the race for the third and final National League wild-card spot.

The Padres had just four baserunners after the second inning and got just one player as far as second base.

But manager Craig Stammen said he didn't regret the Padres acting with their trademark aggressiveness. San Diego is fourth in the majors with 124 stolen bases but ranks 21st with 536 runs -- the fewest of any team that ended Monday in a playoff spot.

"We had three chances to score and they got us for every single one," Stammen said. "Our mentality is to be aggressive on the basepaths, make the other team make a play. Tonight, they made the plays."

Thornton took the loss in his most recent start last Wednesday, when he allowed three runs over six innings as the Mets fell 6-3 to the host Atlanta Braves. Ray didn't factor into the decision Wednesday after giving up two runs over four innings in host San Diego's 4-3, 11-inning victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Thornton has never opposed the Padres. Ray is 5-2 with a 3.14 ERA in 10 career starts against the Mets.