Category: MLB

Five takeaways from Giants' excellent 2025 season-opening road trip originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — The Houston Astros run a promotion at Daikin Park that borrows from the old “steal a taco” campaign from the World Series. If an Astro steals a base, every fan will get a coupon for five free wings from Pluckers Wing Bar as they exit the park. There’s a funny graphic that flashes across the scoreboard when the wings are clinched, but they had to wait until the second inning of the final game of their series with the Giants to use it.

Jeremy Peña drew a one-out walk and successfully snagged second against backup catcher Sam Huff. What was so notable about it — aside from the free wings, of course — was the fact that it was the first attempt against the Giants all season. They’re the only team in the Majors with fewer than three attempts against them. 

While opponents aren’t running, the Giants are. Seemingly every year they talk in the offseason and spring of being more aggressive on the bases, and through six games they’ve finally gained an edge in an area where they’ve been thoroughly outmanned in recent seasons. 

The Giants allowed the third-most stolen bases in the big leagues last year and ranked 29th in the Majors on the offensive side. They were minus-78 on the bases, and you have to go back to 2021 for the last time they stole more bases than they allowed. They didn’t even run that much that season, but with Buster Posey in the squat, they allowed just 53 stolen bases. Two years later, that number ballooned to 124, and they stole just 57.

Last season, the Giants allowed 146 stolen bases, but that wasn’t on their catcher. Patrick Bailey won a Gold Glove Award despite working with a pitching staff that was generally slow to the plate and did a poor job of holding runners. Bailey has made four starts this season — including a pair against Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds — and has yet to get a chance to test his arm. That’s a good thing.

“My shoulder is going to feel a lot better,” he said, laughing. 

Bailey said the credit goes to his pitchers. They are doing a better job of holding runners, led by Opening Day starter Logan Webb, who watched the opposition succeed in 21 of 26 attempts last year. Webb has spent years trying to patch that hole in his game and has dropped about 0.2 seconds off his times to the plate thanks to a mechanical change this spring. 

“I’m just trying to give him a chance,” Webb said of Bailey.

Given Bailey’s skill set, there’s no reason why the Giants shouldn’t excel at controlling the running game if their pitchers do their part. That would flip a deficiency into a huge strength for a team that’s 5-1 to start the season. 

“Something we put an emphasis on this spring is being quicker to the plate, and I think for the most part our guys have been good,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We’ve had some leads as well. But I think it’s the emphasis and understanding that especially with a staff that gets a lot of groundballs, if we can keep guys from going to second base, the groundball is always in play, too.”

The Giants also stole six bases on the trip, with Mike Yastrzemski leading the way with a pair. They attempted a double-steal Wednesday, and both runners scored when Heliot Ramos smoked a ball into the gap. Perhaps it’s time to come up with a wing-related promotion for Oracle Park? The running game was one area that really stood out on a successful trip that featured strong pitching and clean baseball. Here are four more:

Living Up To The Hype

Through five wins, Melvin still hasn’t gotten to use his preferred trio in the final three innings, but all that has done is show off the depth of the bullpen. 

When Ryan Walker’s back flared up, Camilo Doval stepped in and threw a 1-2-3 ninth. Walker looked like his normal self on Monday and Tuesday, but that workload sidelined him Wednesday. Doval again stepped in for the quick save. 

Randy Rodriguez was the hero earlier in the game by getting out of a jam, and he had a tantalizing first week. Erik Miller has three scoreless appearances and whipped 99 mph past Yordan Alvarez earlier this week. Tyler Rogers is doing what he does; he’s appeared in four of six games and hasn’t allowed a run. 

Melvin plans to have Doval and Rogers set up for Walker once everyone resets. If this version of Rodriguez is your fourth right-hander in the pen, you’re in tremendous shape, and so far the Giants haven’t paid for carrying just one lefty. 

The bullpen had a 1.74 ERA on the trip and allowed just 13 hits in 20 2/3 innings. It looks like it’s going to be one of the best and deepest groups in baseball. 

Get A Bigger Trophy Case

Jordan Hicks was painting the corners on Monday, and his catcher made sure that home plate umpire Todd Tichenor came along for the ride. During Hicks’ dominant second inning against the Astros, Bailey provided a reminder of why he’s known as the game’s best pitch-framer: 

There's striking out the side … and then there's what Jordan Hicks just did to the Astros in the second inning: pic.twitter.com/6bDuNwTbGk

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) April 1, 2025

A couple of times on the trip, Giants relievers made a face at the umpire after a close pitch was called a ball. Both times the call was correct, but Bailey had pulled the pitch into the zone, making it look better than it was. Nobody is better at it, and it’ll be a very, very easy Gold Glove case if runners continue to shy away from testing him.

The Giants have had four Gold Glove catchers in franchise history. None of the previous three — including Posey — won a second one, but Bailey entered the year as the heavy favorite in the National League and nothing has changed through six games.

Taking The Next Step? 

On April 4 last year, Heliot Ramos was in Reno, playing right field and batting fifth for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. On Friday, he will get a huge ovation at Oracle Park, where the home fans are hopeful that a superstar is developing before their eyes. 

With apologies to Wilmer Flores, the biggest offensive development on the trip was Ramos continuing to show that last season was no fluke — and that even better days might be ahead. Ramos had the best OPS in the NL last year against left-handed pitchers, and early on this season he has three homers against righties. He comes home with an even 1.000 OPS, and he has played strong defense in left field. 

It’s enough to make you wonder where this is headed. Will he break the 30-homer drought and keep going for 40? Will he graduate from All-Star to MVP candidate? 

It’s been six games, but Ramos has raised his ceiling.

“It’s huge,” Matt Chapman said. “I think you’re going to see him take another step forward this season. When he’s hitting the way he’s hitting and playing that great defense, it’s just another guy that’s going to help us win a ton of baseball games.”

Finding Their Fit

On Monday afternoon, Casey Schmitt stood near the bag at first and fielded some grounders as the Giants took batting practice. He did the same on Tuesday, and in the seventh, he jogged over to play the position in a game for the first time since summer ball six years ago. A day later, he was the starting first baseman against Cy Young candidate Framber Valdez. 

Without Jerar Encarnacion, the Giants have an odd bench. There’s a backup catcher, a right-handed-hitting outfielder, and two righty infielders who don’t have much exposure to first base. They also have a lineup full of true everyday players for the first time since the Bruce Bochy years, and that’s made it hard for Melvin to keep everyone involved. 

Playing first base against lefties is a way for Schmitt to get on the field, and he said he was thrilled about that. It will be harder to find reps for Christian Koss, who made just one appearance on the trip.

Hayden Birdsong was the last member of the Opening Day roster to play in 2025, and that will continue to be a puzzle for the staff. The Giants don’t want to harm his development as a starter, and they believed that they could find enough innings early on to keep him stretched out. Birdsong threw a bullpen session in Cincinnati to prepare to back up Hicks in Houston, but Hicks worked so quickly that he got through six innings the first time out, and the lead was turned over to Doval in the seventh. 

Birdsong did end up pitching Wednesday, but threw just two innings and 26 pitches. The staff wanted to reward young players who earned the Opening Day roster honor, but it has been difficult to find time for them all. It would be a surprise if the same 26 players are on the flight to New York in a week. 

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162-0?

Why not?

Shohei Ohtani is rounding the bases with his right fist in the air and Dodger Stadium is shaking with its roar filling the sky and anything is possible.

162-0?

It could never happen. But after Wednesday night, are you willing to say it can’t happen?

The Dodgers were seemingly destroying their season-opening, seven-game win streak with their worst game in several seasons, stumbling to a 5-0 deficit against the Atlanta Braves and apparently ready to pack it in until …

Until Tommy Edman homered in the second inning.

Until Michael Conforto homered in the fourth.

Until Max Muncy clawed back from two errors to blast a game-tying two-run double in the eighth.

Until Ohtani celebrated his bobblehead night with a walk-off home run in the ninth.

Anything is possible? Everything is possible.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani hits walk-off homer on his bobblehead night to keep Dodgers undefeated

In less than three hours, the Dodgers went from nightmare to history, from tainted to unblemished, from questionable to undeniable, all part of a thrill ride that symbolized the unbelievable start by baseball’s greatest team

162-Oh my Lord.

The Dodgers dramatically showed that the heady beginning of their 2025 season is about more than muscle, there’s also magic. It’s the only explanation for what happened in a 6-5 victory over the Braves that pushed their record to 8-0, the best unbeaten start by a defending champion in baseball history.

They will eventually lose … right? These breaks will surely turn against them one day … yes?

Maybe. Who knows? For now, they look flat-out unbeatable.

“I think each night we’re unbeatable, and we’ll see how that works out,” said manager Dave Roberts afterward with an amazed smile.

Working out pretty good so far. It’s not just that the Dodgers are winning games. As Wednesday showed, it’s how they’re winning games, this time triumphing despite three errors and two base-running blunders and one misplayed fly balls.

“Tonight I was a little dumbfounded,” said Roberts. “I was dumbfounded with the way we were playing. I didn’t recognize that club in the first couple innings. And then just dumbfounded we found a way to win that game. We had no business winning that game. But to our guys’ credit, we just kept fighting.”

Presumptive ace Blake Snell is shaky for a second consecutive start, allowing five unearned runs fueled by four walks, and what happens? He is rescued by a scoreless five innings pieced together by relievers named Ben Casparius, Kirby Yates and Jack Dreyer.

Will somebody please explain just who is Jack Dreyer?

Read more:Plaschke: If Dodgers want to be a dynasty, they must win the World Series again

“Tonight, obviously, was the worst game we’ve played,” said Roberts. “But the ‘pen has been fantastic.”

Then there was Muncy, after two throwing errors and three lousy plate appearances in a season full of them, ditching his new torpedo bat for his old faithful and tying the game with one of his trademark big swings in the eighth.

“It’s been fun … it feels like this clubhouse is carrying a little bit of the attitude we had last year that we’re never out of a game and we’re resilient, and we’ve been carrying it into this season,” Muncy said, later adding, “The guys don’t give up. Bad things have happened, and no one’s really been down or out on themselves. Everyone’s just all right, here we go, next inning, let’s get after it.”

Don’t forget Michael Conforto, running into an out and killing a rally, but still having the composure to set up Muncy’s big hit with a leadoff single in the eighth.

"Every game, every at-bat matters, every play … the focus doesn't waiver, the compete,” said Roberts.

Finally, of course, there is Ohtani, and there’s only one way to describe a guy who rewarded those fans who lined up five hours before the game for his bobblehead doll with a real live neck- turner.

“Shohei being Shohei at the end,” Roberts said for the umpteenth time.

So when are they going to lose? You tell me, when are they going to lose?

An obvious spot would be in two games, on Saturday in Philadelphia, when Phillies’ veteran Aaron Nola stares down struggling kid Roki Sasaki. But Nola was hammered by the Washington Nationals in his first game this year and the Dodgers offense has already saved Sasaki once.

After the Phillies’ weekend series the Dodgers play three games against the wretched Nationals and three against the Chicago Cubs, who they’ve already beaten twice in two attempts.

After the Cubs series, they play 20 games against the sorry likes of Colorado, Texas, the Cubs again, Pittsburgh, Miami, Atlanta and Miami again.

That brings them to a four-game series in Arizona in early May. OK, with the intense history between the two, the Dodgers could lose there.

At that point, they would be 36-0, and would that really shock you?

This is all hyperbole, of course. Two days from now they could already be 8-1 and nobody would blink.

But the point is, they’re good enough to warrant such fantasies. Think about it. They’ve beaten two Cy Young award winners. They’ve won amid the distraction of two opening days. They’ve won with ailing Mookie Betts and injured Freddie Freeman having played together in just two of the eight games. They’ve won with shutout starting pitching. They’ve won with anonymous relievers.

SHO 'EM HOW TO WALK IT OFF! pic.twitter.com/DwG3MTUEIg

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 3, 2025

And now they’ve pulled off a big-time comeback win on a night they mostly looked like Little Leaguers.

“We knew going in we were talented. ... I actually like it in the sense that no one’s too high right now,” said Roberts "The pitching has been very good, the defense has been solid but up and down our lineup there’s only a couple guys who are really swinging the bats the way we’re capable, ... outside of that …guys are really thinking about how they could get better right now ... which is a pretty scary thought for the rest of the league."

Scary enough that before the game, I actually asked Roberts if they feel unbeatable.

“I guess if you say that if every single night we take the field do I feel like we’re going to win?” he said. “Yeah.”

He added, “I know that the math says that we’re not going to go 162-0, but each night we take the field I feel like we’re going to win, so, whatever that means.”

Right now, it means he’s been right eight times in eight games, a perfect record, a perfect start, only the beginning.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

When you watch highlights of the Mets' 6-5 win in extra innings on Wednesday, you'll likely see Pete Alonso's three-run home run to tie the game in the eighth or Huascar Brazoban's dominant outing to pick up his first career save, but one that may be overlooked came from behind the plate.

Luis Torrens has been tasked with leading the Mets' pitching staff and providing defense/offense in the absence of Francisco Alvarez and he did that and then some. And he didn't even start the game.

Coming in as a pinch-hitter for rookie Hayden Senger, Torrens' impact came from his defense in the eighth inning. After Alonso had tied the game, the Mets were in danger of falling behind again. Edwin Diaz allowed a leadoff single to Xavier Edwards who would steal second and advance to third base on a wild pitch. After a Kyle Stowers strikeout, Griffin Conine grounded to Brett Baty at second base. The young infielder, who is a third baseman by trade, was playing in and threw home but the toss was to Torrens' right side, away from home plate. It seemed like a layup for the speedy Edwards to slide in and recapture the lead for the Marlins, but the backstop caught Baty's throw and quickly swiped to his left and -- after a Mets challenge confirmed -- applied the tag in time.

Equally as impressive was two pitches later when Torrens caught Conine trying to steal second to end the frame, and set the Mets up for an eventual win.

"Unbelievable play there on a ball that he has to reach and right away has to apply the tag," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "One of the biggest plays of the game. The caught stealing with Diaz there throwing from his knee, pretty impressive too. Credit to him and credit to the bullpen. But that play in particular, not an easy one."

THE CALL IS OVERTURNED!

Luis Torrens gets the tag down at home and the game stays tied! pic.twitter.com/TBJTD9QTO0

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

Hayden Senger's first start

With Alvarez out to start the season, Senger won the backup catcher job out of spring and he got his first real opportunity on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old made the most of his first start of his career, going 1-for-2 with a double at the plate, but the team was more impressed with how he handled starter Clay Holmes and the pitching staff.

"He did a really good job," Mendoza said. "On the same page with Clay, called a really good game, his ability to slow the game down when there was traffic early in the game and getting that double out of the way. Proud of him."

"He was great. Very calm and poised guy," Holmes said of Senger. "He’s a smart guy, there’s a lot of trust. I tossed to him a few times this spring. He’s got a fantastic arm. He seemed like himself, which is a hard thing to do as a catcher in his first start… he seems very calm, very present and there’s a lot of trust with him, the way he handles himself and prepares. It’s a lot of fun throwing to him."

Alvarez is not set to return until this month, at the earliest, but until then Senger should receive more opportunities.

Clay Holmes limiting damage

Holmes' second start with the Mets went about as well as his first, but it could have -- and probably should have -- gone longer.

Although the right-hander went just 4.2 innings, it was a 29-pitch third inning that doomed any chance of him going five-plus innings. Mendoza said he went into the game wanting to be "aggressive" with how long Holmes would go but a couple of defensive mishaps extended the inning. The first was a sacrifice fly to Juan Soto who dropped the ball on the transfer, eliminating any chance at a play at the plate. And then a chopper to Mark Vientos at third base who threw home and airmailed the ball, allowing the second run to score.

Mendoza thought Holmes was good, despite that inning, especially in limiting the damage. The former Yankees closer answered that error from Vientos by striking out the next two batters to end the inning.

"Thought it was another good step for sure," Holmes said of his performance. "The sinker felt better than last time, the command of it was pretty good. Never got the changeup going. Felt it got better as the game went on…Had some things that fell [in the third inning] but was proud of just keeping them there with just two runs giving the team a chance there.

"Never want to give up runs but sometimes you have to limit damage." 

Holmes finished allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out six across 4.2 innings. In his first start, he allowed two earned runs in 4.2 innings on five hits and four walks while striking out four.

Improvement from Holmes whose next scheduled start will likely come early next week.

Wednesday was an up-and-down affair for the Mets in Miami, but it could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for RHP Huascar Brazobán.

After Pete Alonso's late home run tied the game at 4-4, the game went into extra innings where the Mets took a 6-4 lead in the 11th. Manager Carlos Mendoza went with LHP Danny Young to close out the game after the Mets skipper had already used Edwin Diaz and their other high-leverage relievers to keep the game close enough for the offense to tie the game.

However, while Mendoza's strategy worked he was left using Young, who is one of his weakest arms out of the pen. Entering Wednesday, Young had already allowed two runs on four hits and one walk in two innings of work, and those struggles continued.

The 30-year-old allowed a leadoff single to Xavier Edwards and then walked Kyle Stowers. Young did strike out Griffin Conine to get the first out, but Mendoza had seen enough and after the requisite three batters, the skipper called on Brazoban.

"It was his game," Mendoza said of Brazoban after the game before pointing out he had no more arms left in the bullpen after his right-hander.

Brazoban rewarded Mendoza with a dominant two outs. He got Jonah Bride to fly out to right and then struck out Otto Lopez on four pitches to complete the Mets' comeback.

"Feels good to be able to get the save but to also get it against a former team," Brazobán said through an interpreter after the game. "My goal was to save the game and that’s what we did."

Brazobán spent his first two-plus seasons with the Marlins before being traded to the Mets in July last year. Entering Wednesday, Brazobán made 118 big league appearances. He's had 14 save opportunities in that time, but never came away with the save until Wednesday, back where his career started.

"Huge, huge. Not only saving the bullpen the last two outings but with runners on came in threw strikes, got the fly ball and then the last out," Mendoza said of Brazobán's performance. "Pretty impressive for him coming out of the bullpen."

Wednesday was just another notch in what has been a great start for the right-hander. So far in 2025, Brazobán has only allowed two hits while walking one batter in 5.0 innings pitched. Oh, and he hasn't allowed a run while striking out five batters.

When asked why he's having so much success early on, the Dominican Republic native said it starts with his routine this offseason.

"From the preparation starting in the offseason back home," he explained. "Being able to do what I want, practice the way that I want, execute the way that I had. Continue to attack the hitters and that’s why we’ve had so much success this season."

Brazobán said that he remained engaged throughout the game so that when Lopez came up in the 11th he was prepared. He threw four straight sinkers ranging from 96-97 mph and ultimately froze him with a dot in the upper right corner to seal the win. 

"I’m the type of player, from the beginning of the game, I’m anticipating different situations. Just watching that hitter from the beginning of the game, he was trying to hit a lot of soft stuff so what I did was attack him with my best pitch, and just try to beat him with the sinker in that situation."

AND THE BALLGAME IS OVER!!!!

HUASCAR BRAZOBÁN GETS HIS FIRST MLB SAVE AND THE METS WIN 6-5 IN 11 INNINGS! pic.twitter.com/lhDCKHo8Sm

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 3, 2025

On a night of imperfection in all facets of their game, the Dodgers found a way to remain perfect anyway.

Those early throwing errors by Max Muncy? Didn’t matter.

Andy Pages’ dropped ball in center? No sweat.

Blake Snell, the centerpiece of the team’s half-billion-dollar offseason spending spree, not having his best stuff? A worry for another time.

SHO 'EM HOW TO WALK IT OFF! pic.twitter.com/DwG3MTUEIg

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 3, 2025

And the early five-run deficit they faced as a result of it all? Turns out, it wouldn’t last.

Instead, the Dodgers mounted a stirring comeback that pushed their season-opening record to 8-0. They accomplished the best start to a season by any defending champion in MLB history. They took a game in which they seemed destined to beat themselves, and found a way to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-5 anyway.

And, on a night fans lined up outside the Dodger Stadium gates hours early to receive his bobblehead, Shohei Ohtani walked it off with a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth.

Read more:Hernández: Tokyo Series atmosphere shows Shohei Ohtani is more than 'a representative of Japan'

Getting there required a herculean effort, the Dodgers digging out of a big early hole that had been entirely of their own making.

The bullpen combined for five scoreless innings. Home runs from Tommy Edman and Michael Conforto trimmed the Atlanta lead. In the eighth, a two-run double from Max Muncy — who switched back to his old regular bat after beginning the night swinging the new torpedo model — finally got the Dodgers back level.

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Ohtani came to the plate and did the kind of thing that has made him the biggest star in L.A., and all of baseball, launching a no-doubt, game-winning solo blast to straightaway center field that sent Chavez Ravine into a frenzy.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

If anyone in the Mets' lineup was grappling with early-season pressure to come up clutch at the plate against the division-rival Marlins this week, ample relief was provided by Pete Alonso.

The veteran slugger, who broke Monday's game wide open with a mammoth grand slam, played the role of hero again on Wednesday, delivering a game-tying home run in the eighth inning that helped propel New York to a thrilling 6-5 road win over Miami in 11 innings.

Perhaps the moment couldn't have belonged to anyone but Alonso. Before the eighth began and the dramatic nine-pitch at-bat developed, he'd produced two hits -- a pair of doubles -- that also made up half of the Mets' hit total. Alonso was simply dialed in, and the 415-foot three-run shot to dead center off Marlins reliever Calvin Faucher reaffirmed the impression.

"I'm just happy I was able to come through for the team right there. Today was obviously a really important game for us," Alonso said after the game. "I'm just looking to get a good pitch to hit over the middle of the plate. Thankfully for me, I was fighting off some really tough pitches there. He came at me with his best stuff. He located some good ones, especially early in the count. I was able to stay under control and let the ball show up where I wanted it to."

With two monster swings, Alonso ignited a spark that the Mets desperately needed. Entering the rubber game at loanDepot Park, they were hitting a collective .179 through five games, with a measly .125 (4-for-32) average with runners in scoring position. The hitting woes were still apparent on Wednesday -- defensive miscues also piled up -- but Alonso's bat bailed them out. He channeled the comeback energy that defined the Mets' exciting 2024 turnaround and postseason run.

"There's a lot of guys from last year that know how to do that. This is a talented bunch," Alonso said. "For us, we never think we're out of any game. That's one of the great characteristics about this club. That's just a testament to the character of every single one of these guys. We don't give up until the last out's made."

It won't be long until Alonso officially stamps himself as the Mets' king slugger -- he's now 15 homers of tying David Wright for the most long balls in franchise history.

In the meantime, Alonso is enjoying a strong start to a prove-it season with heightened expectations. He's slashing .286/.423/.667 with a team-high four extra-base hits and eight RBI in 21 at-bats.

"When he's doing that, getting the barrel and making contact, we know the power is real," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Alonso. "First at-bat today, smoked a ball in the gap. Then that homer in the eighth was pretty impressive. You see him take walks, laying off some tough pitches. When things are going his way, that's what we see."

"IT'S OUTTA HERE! PETE ALONSO TIES THE GAME WITH A THREE-RUN HOMER!"

Gary and Keith on the call for Pete Alonso's game-tying home run in the 8th 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/UpzJbVFjqA

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 3, 2025

The Yankees' bats were kept in check by Zac Gallen, picking up just three hits against the right-hander before the offense woke up late in their 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on a cold, windy night in The Bronx on Wednesday.

Here are the takeaways...

-Carlos Rodon's second start of the season wasn't as good as his first, but if you tuned in for the first couple of innings, you'd be surprised by how well the southpaw recovered.

In the first, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. smashed a 94.2 mph fastball up in the zone that went into the second deck in left field. In the second, Rodon had some tough luck, reaching for a groundball up the middle that, if he let go, could have been a double play. Instead, everyone was safe. Arizona would caash in with a sac fly to push their lead to 3-0, and then Ketel Marte -- who signed a big extension earlier in the day -- gave the D-backs a four-run lead with a two-out, seeing-eye single.

After that, Rodon was cruising. He wound up completing six innings, allowing the four runs on three hits and four walks with five strikeouts. Impressive, considering how poorly Rodon pitched.

-But even if Rodon allowed just one run, it wouldn't have mattered, considering how well Gallen pitched. The Arizona right-hander entered Wednesday with two career starts against the Yankees, and he was dominant. He hadn't allowed a run in 12 innings against the Bombers, and he continued his dominance.

Gallen got into trouble just once in this game, which came in the second inning after a Jazz Chisholm Jr. single and Austin Wells double, but Jasson Dominguez and Ben Rice struck out swinging on knuckle curves. The Yankees struck out seven times on Gallens' knuckle curve and 13 times in total against him. Gallen allowed just three hits in 6.2 innings (101 pitches/64 strikes) without allowing a walk.

-Even when Gallen was out of the game, the Yankees struggled. Joe Mantiply pitched a perfect inning and Ryan Thompson got an out before he allowed back-to-back singles in the top of the ninth. Arizona went to AJ Puk to close out the game, but the southpaw allowed a first-pitch homer to Anthony Volpe to cut their lead to 4-3. The comeback bid ended when Wells and Dominguez went down in order.

It was Volpe's fourth home run of the season and he had just one of the team's six hits. Cody Bellinger (1-4), Aaron Judge (1-4) and Wells (2-4) were the only players to register a hit.

Arizona's lineup wasn't much better -- they produced just three hits against Rodon. Yoendrys Gomez allowed three walks while striking out one in three innings of work.

Highlights

The Yankees have life in the 9th!

Anthony Volpe with a 3-run shot to cut it to 1! pic.twitter.com/rFEMDMgWPm

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 3, 2025

What's next

The Yankees and Diamondbacks complete their three-game series on Thursday. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Carlos Carrasco will make his first start with the Yankees, opposing veteran Merrill Kelly.

The Mets wrapped up their season-opening road trip with much-needed momentum, rallying late to defeat the Miami Marlins in 11 innings, 6-5, on Wednesday night at loanDepot Park.

Here are the takeaways...

-- It didn't take long for the Mets to draw first blood. After a one-out single from Juan Soto in the first inning, Pete Alonso smacked a double to the right-center field gap to give them a 1-0 lead. With the stadium's retractable roof open, the wind kept a few deep flies from going over the fence, and Mark Vientos was a victim in the second when his loud shot to left-center surprisingly didn't reach the warning track.

-- Clay Holmes struggled with command in his first start of the season, and the issues unfortunately made the trip to Miami. While he threw first-pitch strikes to 10 of the first 12 batters, he fell behind in counts and ran into trouble. His third inning could've been far worse, though -- the Marlins loaded the bases with no outs and only scored twice. An errant throw home from Vientos on a grounder extended that jam.

-- The fourth inning went smoothly for Holmes, as he sent the Marlins down in order on 11 pitches. But the newly-converted starter wasn't allowed to complete the fifth. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza took the ball with two runners on and two outs, marking Holmes' second straight outing that lasted 4.2 innings. He allowed one earned run on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts (85 pitches).

-- The Mets couldn't inflict damage on Marlins starter Connor Gillispie, who completed five innings with six strikeouts. Alonso was the only one who found success -- his pair of doubles were half of their hits against the right-hander.

-- Sloppy defense returned in the seventh inning when reliever A.J. Minter balked a runner over to third after allowing a leadoff double. Moments later, another grounder to Vientos went awry. By misjudging a high chopper that was assumed foul, the Marlins scored their third run and the batter reached first on an infield single. Ryne Stanek also gave up an inherited run, bumping Miami's lead to 4-1.

-- Just when it looked like the Mets didn't have a late rally in their bones, they conveniently defied expectations. Luis Torrens led off the eighth with a pinch-hit single, and Francisco Lindor then advanced him to third with a much-needed single to right. A fielder's choice grounder from Soto left Torrens dead at home, but Alonso eventually played the role of hero once again, crushing a game-tying, three-run homer to center.

-- The drama found its way into the bottom half of the eighth when closer Edwin Diaz entered the tied game. After allowing an infield single, a stolen base, and a wild pitch, a Marlins run seemed inevitable. But a Griffin Conine grounder to second resulted in a bang-bang play at home when Torrens tagged out Xavier Edwards on a throw from Brett Baty. Initially ruled safe, a Mets challenge overturned the call. A scoreless ninth sent the game into extra innings.

-- New York was unable to cash a run in the 10th with runners on the corners and no outs, but the offense came through in the 11th. With the bases juiced and no outs, Jesse Winker drew a four-pitch walk to give the Mets a 5-4 lead. Then, Vientos hit a grounder to shortstop that was booted, allowing Alonso to score and all runners to advance. Miami managed to stop the bleeding by inducing a double-play grounder and flyout.

-- Following two shutout innings of relief from Jose Butto, the Mets called upon Danny Young to begin the 11th. He walked his first batter and struck out his second, and then Huascar Brazobán entered with the task of cleaning up the mess. He luckily did just that, closing the door with a flyout and strikeout.

-- On a personal level, the game was memorable for Mets catcher Hayden Senger, who doubled to right-center in the fifth for his first big league hit. A pretty cool story for the 27-year-old rookie -- he was taken in the 24th round of the 2018 draft and made the Opening Day roster after playing 402 games in the team's minor league system.

Game MVP: Pete Alonso

Alonso broke open Monday's game with a mammoth grand slam, and his three-run shot on Wednesday once again provided relief to a Mets lineup that was struggling to find a rhythm and deliver a clutch hit. The veteran slugger is now hitting .286 with eight RBI in 21 at-bats.

Highlights

Pete Alonso brings Juan Soto all the way home from first with an RBI double! 💪 pic.twitter.com/r6UuP3PGvu

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

Clay Holmes gets back-to-back strikeouts to escape further damage in the third pic.twitter.com/iKQJxR5KiE

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

Pete Alonso leads off the fourth inning with his second double of the day! pic.twitter.com/Mzp5Ciln0R

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

Hayden Senger has his first MLB hit! 💪 pic.twitter.com/EVmaUThUs3

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

A.J. Minter was called for a balk after stumbling in his pitching motion.

Minter and Carlos Mendoza argued that Minter released the ball and that the pitch should have counted. pic.twitter.com/bEl36wlyrj

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

Three unassisted.

Pete Alonso with the double dive for the out! pic.twitter.com/FLpChodihZ

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

IT'S OUTTA HERE!!!!!

PETE ALONSO TIES THE GAME WITH A THREE-RUN HOMER!!!! pic.twitter.com/xCIP3pgmVB

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

Jesse Winker walks in the go-ahead run in the 11th! 🚶 pic.twitter.com/GjHGi0gcGD

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 2, 2025

AND THE BALLGAME IS OVER!!!!

HUASCAR BRAZOBÁN GETS HIS FIRST MLB SAVE AND THE METS WIN 6-5 IN 11 INNINGS! pic.twitter.com/lhDCKHo8Sm

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 3, 2025

What's next

The Mets (3-3) will spend Thursday's off day settling back into the New York area and preparing for Friday's highly-anticipated home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at 3:10 p.m.

Tylor Megill is slated to make his second start of the season, opposite Kevin Gausman on SNY.