NEW YORK — Tyrone Taylor hit a game-tying solo home run to ignite a decisive five-run fifth inning, and Sean Manaea delivered his longest outing in nearly two years as the New York Mets defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Thursday afternoon.
The victory secured a vital series win for the Mets—just their third since June 1—but it came with a significant cost. Third baseman Mark Vientos suffered a fractured right hand after being hit by a pitch in the second inning. Interim manager Andy Green confirmed after the game that Vientos will be placed on the injured list.
Following Vientos’ exit, New York shuffled its defense, moving Brett Baty to third base and inserting rookie A.J. Ewing at second for his Major League debut. Taylor took over duties in center field and quickly became the game’s catalyst.
With the Mets trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Taylor led off the frame by launching a game-tying home run off Royals starter Michael Wacha (5-7). The blast completely shifted the momentum. Bo Bichette followed later in the inning with a sacrifice fly to drive in the go-ahead run, while Carson Benge and Francisco Alvarez tacked on back-to-back RBI hits to break the game open. Juan Soto capped off the Mets’ scoring with a solo home run in the seventh inning.
The offensive explosion provided plenty of cushion for Manaea (2-4), who put together his sharpest performance of the season. The veteran left-hander pitched seven full innings for the first time since October 2024, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out six to earn the victory.
Kansas City jumped out to an early lead on the very first pitch of the game when Lane Thomas belted a leadoff home run into the left-field seats. Bobby Witt Jr. added a solo shot in the fourth, and rookie Jac Caglianone contributed an RBI double in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the fifth-inning collapse. Wacha, fresh off his first All-Star selection in 11 years, was charged with six runs on six hits across 4 2/3 innings.
UP NEXT
The Royals continue their road trip on Friday as they head to Baltimore. Right-hander Luinder Avila (4-3, 5.05 ERA) takes the mound for Kansas City, while the Orioles counter with right-hand-hitting Brandon Young (7-2, 3.38 ERA).
