Carson Benge does it all with five-hit day as Mets end road trip with win over Padres
SAN DIEGO — Carson Benge is Mr.Everything for the Mets these days, improving steadily as his first major league season progresses.
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.Defense, base running and hitting are all components of Benge’s toolbox that have fast transformed the outfielder into a National League Rookie of the Year candidate.On Sunday he was the biggest factor offensively in the Mets salvaging a .500 road trip.
Benge’s 5-for-5 afternoon led a 7-3 victory over the Padres at Petco Park, giving the Mets their first road series victory since May 7.The Mets had a third solid offensive showing in four days, totaling 13 hits and giving bulk reliever Sean Manaea and the bullpen a cushion.Benge’s road trip included a steal of home on Wednesday in Seattle.He and A.J.
Ewing have energized the Mets defensively with their fearless outfield play.Benge’s fourth hit on this day was a solo homer in the sixth against lefty Yuki Matsui that increased the Mets’ lead to 6-2.In his next at-bat, he stroked an RBI triple in the eighth.
Benge, who became the first Mets rookie with five hits in a game since Pete Alonso in 2019, singled in each of his three previous plate appearances, scoring two runs.Over his last 41 games he owns an .825 OPS and has stabilized the leadoff spot with Francisco Lindor on the injured list.Manaea allowed two earned runs on four hits and one walk over four innings.
Brooks Raley, A.J.Minter, Luke Weaver and Devin Williams combined to pitch four innings.
Williams allowed one run in the ninth.Huascar Brazobán served as the opener ahead of Manaea and navigated the first inning scoreless after walking Fernando Tatis Jr.and Jackson Merrill in succession to start his afternoon.Juan Soto’s RBI ground out in the first inning gave the Mets a 1-0 lead.
Benge singled leading off the game and Bo Bichette doubled him to third.Soto’s RBI was his 30...