The Mets counted on their third catcher in his second career plate appearance to get one run home Friday night.
Patrick Mazeika answered the call. As the last man left on the bench in the 10th inning, with the bases loaded, Mazeika pinch-hit in the pitcher’s spot and came through with a dribbler hit just slow enough to score Pete Alonso from third and lift the Mets to a 5-4 walk-off win over the Diamondbacks.
Arizona reliever Stefan Crichton tried to flip the grounder to catcher Carson Kelly, but he was unsuccessful as the run scored, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
“It wasn’t exactly how I drew it up in my head on the on-deck circle, but a win’s a win, and we got the job done,” Mazeika said.
Pete Alonso scores the winning run, driven in by Patrick Mazeika, in the Mets’ win on Friday night. AP. Getty ImagesMazeika’s walk-off fielder’s choice was overshadowed by what happened between Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil in the dugout tunnel a few innings earlier, but he cherished the opportunity.
With runners on the corners and one out, the Diamondbacks had walked Jonathan Villar to bring up Mazeika, who made his MLB debut as a pinch-hitter Wednesday.
“I was actually pretty calm because I had played that scenario through my head from about the seventh inning on, knowing I’m probably the last guy on the bench,” Mazeika said. “Kind of playing that through my head a couple times calmed me down.”






