Mets get off to fast start, hang on to top White Sox

Pete Alonso and Jared Young each hit two-run homers in the first inning Tuesday night for the host New York Mets, who withstood a late comeback attempt by the Chicago White Sox to earn a 6-4 win.

Tylor Megill combined with three relievers on an eight-hitter for the Mets, who have won four straight. Miguel Vargas homered and finished with three RBIs for the White Sox, who have dropped three in a row.

Vargas gave the White Sox an early lead with a two-run shot in the first off Megill (4-4) before the Mets scored four times while sending 10 batters to the plate in an unusual bottom half against Jonathan Cannon (2-6).

Brandon Nimmo singled with one out and Juan Soto followed with a potential extra-base hit when center fielder Michael A. Taylor trapped the ball trying to make a diving catch, But Nimmo, believing the ball was caught, ran back to first and passed Soto, who was called out because he ended up ahead of Nimmo.

The Mets responded to the base-running miscue by stringing together five straight hits. Alonso homered to straightaway center two batters before Young hit a 367-foot blast to right for his first big league homer since Sept. 22, 2023, when he was with the Chicago Cubs.

Jeff McNeil lofted a sacrifice fly in the third to extend the Mets' lead to 5-2.

The White Sox rallied against Jose Butto in the seventh, when Chase Meidroth scored on a passed ball before Vargas just missed tying the game with an RBI double off the top of the left field wall.

Jose Castillo came in and plunked Andrew Benintendi before striking out Edgar Quero to end the inning, Castillo gave up a leadoff single to Austin Slater in the eighth and the Mets added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, when Francisco Lindor had an RBI single.

Reed Garrett earned his second save with 1 2/3 hitless innings.

Megill allowed two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out six over 5 2/3 innings. Cannon gave up five runs on nine hits and one walk while whiffing four over 5 2/3 innings.

--Field Level Media