Pete Alonso, Mets offense picks up Kodai Senga in 9-4 romp over the Giants

SAN FRANCISCO — Kodai Senga is the last man standing for a rotation that the Mets hoped would be among the best in baseball. But when he faltered Thursday night in San Francisco, the Mets’ offense picked him up in a big way in a 9-4 drubbing of the Giants at Oracle Park.

It was exactly what the Mets needed following a tough few days for the pitching staff. The offense is going to have to carry the team for a little while, at least until Justin Verlander gets healthy and Max Scherzer returns from a 10-game suspension.

“Losing Max, obviously it stings,” said first baseman Pete Alonso. “We’re just going to do what we can to win every game. Whoever we have available, we’re just going to go out there and compete and do the best we can to win every day.”

Alonso belted his ninth home run of the season in the fourth inning off left-hander Sean Manaea to retake the league lead. The 155th home run of his career moved him into sole possession of fifth place on the Mets’ all-time leaderboard. Alonso went 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. He’s driven in 19 runs this season, tied for the third-most in the league with Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia.

Jeff McNeil went 3-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a home run to right field that nearly cleared the concourse and landed in McCovey Cove. Brandon Nimmo had another multi-hit game going 3-for-5 with an RBI and Eduardo Escobar went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer.

“A lot of guys with good makeup,” said manager Buck Showalter. “The home run that Jeff hit was a big momentum changer. [The Giants] clawed their way back and we found an answer there.”

Senga blanked San Francisco (9-12) through the first four innings and the Mets (13-7) spotted him a 5-0 lead with a big fourth inning.

Alonso’s two-run shot came with none out in the fourth, and with one on and one out Escobar hit his to make it 4-0. Luis Guillorme reached with a walk and Nimmo doubled him home to chase Manaea from the game and force the Giants to go to the bullpen early.

But Senga’s control wavered in the fifth and the Giants scored four times to cut the deficit to just one run. The right-hander still earned the win, his third of the season (3-0) but it was a rough inning. He gave up a leadoff shot to Blake Sabol and two batters later he gave up another to LaMonte Wade Jr. Two walks and a wild pitch scored Thairo Estrada and former Mets outfielder Michael Conforto.

“There were a couple guys he wanted to pitch up and he got it down, and the guy he wanted to pitch down he got it up,” Showalter said. “He paid the price for it. Stuff-wise, he was in good shape, but I know he was a little frustrated because he wanted to have a little longer outing. We were wanting to get six or seven out of him tonight with where his pitch count was.”

Senga was pulled after that fifth inning with his pitch count at 85. He allowed four runs on four hits, walked four and struck out four. He now has an ERA of 4.29, and despite the winning record, he doesn’t seem satisfied with the start he’s had to his first MLB season.

“I didn’t expect to be dominating right out of the gate,” Senga said through a translator. “In the previous outings, I would make bad pitches and they would hit them. Today I thought I made good pitches and they still hit me. It’s something to fix moving forward.”

The Mets used four relievers to finish the game, but they were able to stay away from using their most essential high-leverage arms. The bullpen has been stretched thin over the last two days but the Mets should be in good shape as they head into the weekend.

The club is now 6-1 on this 10-game, three-city trip. It’s been a challenging trip with injuries to key players like Carlos Carrasco and Starling Marte, but the Mets have handled it well. They’ve shown some resiliency and an ability to overcome obstacles.

“It’s a tough trip,” Showalter said. “Guys have handled it well so far but I think they’re very respectful of the competition and how quickly it could change.”

The Mets have three games left against the Giants before they return home. If their top players continue to play like top players, they could create some serious momentum.

“We’re enjoying our form right now and we’re playing good baseball,” Alonso said. “We’re looking to continue doing that the rest of the trip.”