Tong Shines in Debut as Mets Cruise to 19-9 Win Over Marlins

The Mets have had a season’s worth of highs and lows just this month. A seven-game losing streak that put them on the cusp of falling out of playoff position, the debut and dominance of Nolan McLean, the injuries to Francisco Alvarez and a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies that was followed by perhaps the sloppiest loss of the year on Thursday.

Jonah Tong offered a chance for another high Friday in his major-league debut at Citi Field against the Miami Marlins. He took it. The rookie fanned six in five innings and, with a little help from the offense, earned his first victory as the Mets defeated the Marlins 19-9.

The Mets (73-62) scored five runs before Marlins starter Eury Pérez (6-4) recorded an out. Juan Soto hit a two-run homer and Brandon Nimmo hit a three-run shot. Soto’s 33rd homer was also his seventh consecutive hit with a runner in scoring position.

New York scored seven runs in the second inning. Pete Alonso hit a two-run, opposite field homer. Starling Marte added an RBI single. Tyrone Taylor and Francisco Lindor each connected for two-run doubles.

While all of the first-inning runs came with nobody out, all of the second-inning runs came after there were two outs and nobody on. The Mets were 5-for-6 with runners in scoring position in the first two innings. The 12 runs were the most the 64-year-old franchise had ever scored in a game’s first two frames.

Tong, per SNY, had to wait 24 minutes and then 27 minutes between throwing pitches because of the outbursts.

Steve Gelbs of SNY interviewed Tong’s parents in the third.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Alex Tong said. “The stadium is just electric. And we’re just so blessed that we’re able to be here with our son. He’s playing the big leagues. It’s a dream come true and (as) a dad that’s watched him grow throughout his journey, it’s just, it’s a privilege.” Karen Tong recounted her husband building a mound during COVID so their son could practice in the Canadian winter.

Tong retired the side on six pitches (two fly outs and an infield pop up) in the first. He worked around a leadoff double in the second. He got Joey Wiemer to swing and miss at a 78 mph curveball for his first strikeout in the third. He threw four scoreless innings to start his career.

Tong allowed one earned run in the fifth (single, wild pitch, single) before shoddy defense led to three unearned runs. Lindor dropped a feed from Brett Baty at second on what would have been a force out and Alonso allowed a grounder to get by him at first.

Tong struck out Liam Hicks on a 95 mph fastball on his 97th and final pitch. He threw 63 strikes and became the second Met under 23-years-old to go at least five innings and allow only one earned run in a debut. The other was Dwight Gooden.

Nimmo hit his second homer of the game and 22nd of the year to make it 13-4 in the sixth. Mark Vientos and Luis Torrens each homered off infielder Javier Sanoja in a six-run eighth.

Torrens started the ninth for New York, gave up four earned runs in 1/3 of an inning and was replaced by Ryne Stanek, who got the final two outs.

Tong’s debut came 13 days after McLean’s and was the seventh for a Met this season. The others were Hayden Senger, Alex Carrillo, Blade Tidwell, Justin Hagenman and Jonathan Pintaro.

Tong led the minor leagues in ERA (1.43), strikeouts (179 in 113 2/3 innings), batting average against (.148) and K/9 (14.17) when he found out he’d be pitching Friday against the Marlins (63-72) instead of the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders.

The Phillies (78-57) won and the Cincinnati Reds (68-67) lost, meaning the Mets end the night five games back of first place in the division and five games up on the final Wild Card spot. The Mets have 27 games left.

Stats of the Game

The Mets had never previously had two starters win their major-league debuts in the same season. McLean earned the win in his debut before Tong followed suit. The Mets hadn’t scored five runs without an out in the first inning in 20 years. Tong, 22, became the youngest Met starter to debut since 21-year-old Jon Niese in 2008. Tong was the 44th pitcher used by the Mets this year, one short of the MLB record.

Player of the Game

Nimmo hit two homers and Alonso had three hits. But the POTG is Tong. Seaver was Tom Terrific. I like Tong Terrific as a euphonic homage.

On Deck

David Peterson (8-5, 3.18 ERA) faces Edward Cabrera (7-7, 3.32 ERA) at 4:10 p.m. EST. Peterson beat the Marlins on March 31, tossing six innings of two-run ball and striking out nine. Cabrera hasn’t faced the Mets this year. He’s 1-2 with a 5.12 ERA in eight career starts vs. New York. The game will air on WPIX and MLB Network.

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