TORONTO (AP) 鈥� Tyrone Taylor scored the tying run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning before fellow pinch-runner Eddy Alvarez dashed home on a passed ball as the New York Mets rallied past the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Monday night for their 10th victory in 11 games.
鈥淭oday was a good team win,鈥� Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. 鈥淲hen it was hard for us, we found a way to get one.鈥�
New York bounced back after its nine-game winning streak was snapped Sunday by Cincinnati, moving a game ahead of Atlanta for the final National League wild card. The rival Braves lost 1-0 at home to the Reds in the makeup of a July rainout.
The surging Mets got six shutout innings of one-hit ball from fill-in starter Tylor Megill, who retired his last 16 batters and matched a season high with nine strikeouts.
鈥淔elt great tonight,鈥� Megill said. 鈥淓verything was working.鈥�
With the Mets trailing 2-1 to begin the eighth against reliever Tommy Nance (0-1), pinch-hitter Jesse Winker drew a walk and was replaced by Taylor.
Francisco Alvarez reached on an infield single, with Taylor advancing to third on a throwing error, and Francisco Lindor walked to load the bases before Eddy Alvarez ran for Francisco Alvarez.
Taylor scored when Nance bounced a pitch to Mark Vientos, and a second run came home on catcher Brian Serven鈥檚 passed ball.
鈥淲e shot ourselves in the foot,鈥� Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 help ourselves there.鈥�
Eddy Alvarez was just acquired from Boston for cash in a minor league trade Sunday and selected to the major league roster Monday.
Ryne Stanek (7-3) struck out the side in the eighth and Edwin D铆az finished for his 17th save in 23 chances, getting Leo Jim茅nez to fly out to the warning track and stranding a runner at first base.
鈥淥ff the bat we couldn鈥檛 tell because he hit it pretty well,鈥� Mendoza said. 鈥淥nce I saw (right fielder Starling) Marte kind of camp there, I was like, alright."
Megill started in place of right-hander Paul Blackburn, who had been expected to come off the injured list and face the Blue Jays. Instead, , Mendoza said.
After sandwiching walks around Spencer Horwitz鈥檚 double in the first inning, Megill escaped a bases-loaded jam by getting Alejandro Kirk to ground out.
That was the first in a streak of 16 consecutive outs for Megill, who didn鈥檛 allow another baserunner.
鈥淗e was pretty much in complete control of the game,鈥� Mendoza said.
Toronto erased a 1-0 deficit by scoring twice against two Mets relievers in the seventh.
Left-hander Danny Young exited after hitting Davis Schneider with a pitch and giving up a single to Kirk. Jose Butt贸 yielded a single, plunked Jim茅nez with a bases-loaded pitch and allowed a sacrifice fly to Nathan Lukes.
Butt贸 escaped by striking out George Springer looking at a 3-2 pitch.
The Mets took a 1-0 lead on J.D. Martinez鈥檚 RBI single against left-hander Ryan Yarbrough in the fourth.
ROSTER MOVES
Mets: INF Pablo Reyes was designated for assignment.
TRAINER鈥橲 ROOM
Blue Jays: Schneider said DH Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had X-rays after fouling multiple pitches off his left foot, but said there was no fracture. Guerrero went 0 for 3 with a walk. 鈥� SS Bo Bichette (right calf) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, Schneider said. Bichette has been out since July 19.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (9-13, 4.30 ERA) is scheduled to start against his former team Tuesday night. LHP David Peterson (9-1, 2.75) goes for the Mets.
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AP MLB:
Ian Harrison, The Associated Press
