Ronny Mauricio hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning Friday night for the New York Mets, who mounted their biggest comeback of the season to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 in the opener of a three-game interleague series between a pair of reeling teams.
The Mets trailed 3-0 before winning for just the fourth time in their last 21 games and improving their MLB-worst record to 11-21.
The comeback win marked New York’s first multi-run rally since it spotted the Pittsburgh Pirates the first two runs in an 11-7 win on Opening Day.
Five Mets pitchers combined to retire the final 21 batters they faced as the Angels lost for the 11th time in 12 games since an 11-10 start.
Los Angeles scored three runs or fewer for the ninth time in 12 games.
Jorge Soler hit a two-run homer off Christian Scott in the first for the Angels, who extended their lead to 3-0 in the third when Zach Neto stole third and raced home after Francisco Alvarez’s throw sailed into left field.
Angels starter Walbert Urena allowed just one hit through the first five innings before Bo Bichette – who had the lone hit in the fourth – led off the sixth by lining a comebacker off Urena’s right knee.
Urena took two warmup tosses before exiting for Brent Suter, who got two outs but allowed two hits, including Alvarez’s RBI single. Two batters later, Marcus Semien greeted Chase Silseth with a tying two-run single.
Mauricio put the Mets ahead with a one-out blast, his first of the season, off Jose Fermin (0-1).
Huascar Brazoban (2-0) threw a perfect sixth before Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver followed suit in the seventh and eighth. Devin Williams earned his third save by striking out two in the ninth.
Scott, who retired the final nine batters he faced, gave up all three Angels runs (two earned) on three hits while walking none and striking out eight.
Urena allowed one run on two hits and three walks while striking out four.
