Lindor Walks It Off as Mets Outlast Cardinals in Queens, Fifth Series Win
Francisco Lindor didn’t just end the night with fireworks—he lit the fuse. With Citi Field still buzzing from a rollercoaster eighth inning and a full house on their feet, Lindor launched his 250th career home run and first-ever Mets walk-off, sending New York to a 5–4 win over the Cardinals on Friday night.
A NO-DOUBTER FROM FRANCISCO LINDOR 💣 pic.twitter.com/KfvOnwZ5Gb
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 19, 2025
He barely made it to first before being mobbed by his teammates. For a guy who’s made Queens his home, it was a storybook swing in front of a crowd that never sat down (and will likely be horse tomorrow from scream-singing “My Girl” all night).
Francisco Lindor with an EPIC walk-off shot for his 250th career home run! 💣 pic.twitter.com/BSdossCCyJ
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 19, 2025
Phenomenal Outing from Peterson
David Peterson got the ball and dealt with traffic early. The Cardinals strung together a trio of soft singles in the second to scratch across the first run, then added another when Brendan Donovan advanced on a passed ball and scored on a Jordan Walker liner that Pete Alonso knocked down but couldn’t stop from bleeding into right.
Nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings for David Peterson tonight pic.twitter.com/aUFUFvLpnH
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 19, 2025
St. Louis made it 3–2 in the sixth after a leadoff double from Willson Contreras and an RBI single by Nolan Arenado. But in between the noise, Peterson punched out a season-high nine on 99 pitches, refusing to give in. He walked none and gave the Mets a fighting chance.
Baty’s Five-Game Hit Streak
The bats woke up in the fifth after Miles Mikolas had kept them in a fog.
I told y’all https://t.co/iuBBVAOkTU pic.twitter.com/WswKtc8MxO
— Gab (@gabrielleraucci) April 19, 2025
Brett Baty (with a five-game hit streak) led off with a double, Tyrone Taylor ripped an RBI triple, and Citi Field nearly exploded when Juan Soto came through with a game-tying RBI single after a much-deserved standing ovation.
This is what it’s all about https://t.co/qXlAN2Fy8u
— Gab (@gabrielleraucci) April 19, 2025
It was the kind of moment stars are supposed to deliver in, and Soto broke a 0-for-12 stretch with a hard hit single to right to even the score at 2–2.
Don’t Panic, Call Kranick
Enter Max Kranick. And once again, he, of course, got the job done. Called upon to clean up the sixth, Kranick stranded the go-ahead runner with a flyout and a punchout, continuing what’s been an under-the-radar but rock-solid start to his Mets tenure. Kranick’s ERA dipped to 1.64 after another scoreless appearance.
MAX KRANICK’S SWEEPER IS BACK pic.twitter.com/FtwN04OF8k
— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) April 19, 2025
Second Shot for Swaggy V
Now, the Mets had an answer again in the sixth, this time off the bat of Mark Vientos, who turned on a fastball 4.14 feet off the ground and deposited it 371 feet into the left field seats—his second homer in as many nights and one of the highest pitches any Met has homered on in the pitch-tracking era.
Mark Vientos ties the game for the @Mets! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NnraBw8vAi
— MLB (@MLB) April 19, 2025
Torren is Red HOT in the Box
The eighth inning turned into chaos. Vientos singled to lead things off, and Luisangel Acuña pinch-ran and swiped second. Brandon Nimmo chopped one to third and took off—but got caught in a foot race with Arenado.
Acuña initially beat the tag but slid off the bag and was ruled out on replay. Then (former Met) Phil Maton threw over to hold Nimmo and nailed him…literally.
Mets got Luis Torrens from the Yankees for $100k.pic.twitter.com/k5EJ67ea5w
— Ben Yoel (@Ben_Yoel) April 19, 2025
The ball bounced off Nimmo, letting him take second. Red-hot Luis Torrens doubled him home down the left-field line for the Mets’ first lead of the night.
Queens Relief Corps.
Ryne Stanek handled the eighth and looked nasty, pumping upper-90s heat and mixing splitters as he cruised through the inning. With Edwin Díaz down for the night after pitching the last two, Huascar Brazobán was called on for the ninth. Donovan tied the game again with a second-pitch homer that clanged off the netting above the right-field foul pole. But he dug in, striking out the next three to keep things knotted and set up the walk-off dramatics.
This Win is the 2025 Mets Signature
Baty continued his quietly excellent stretch with a walk, a stolen base, and a double. Nimmo, batting sixth for the first time since 2021, went 1-for-4.
TRIPLES MAKES IT SAFE. TRIPLES IS BEST.
PETE ALONSO GOES ALL THE WAY TO THIRD! pic.twitter.com/BBO4oeYdw9
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 18, 2025
Pete Alonso snapped a brief skid with a triple in the first—his first three-bagger since 2023—and reached base three times.
“Nuke Laloosh” in the SNY Booth
Tim Robbins—aka Ebby Calvin “Nuke LaLoosh” from Bull Durham—was in the SNY booth tonight with Keith, Ron, and Steve Gelbs, talking pitching, chaos, and minor league bus rides like he never left the Carolina League.
Nuke LALOOSH in the booth Mets are walking it off tonight https://t.co/LIMrjNPaGZ
— Gab (@gabrielleraucci) April 19, 2025
I’d Guess You’d Say… Lindor is Pretty Dang Good at Baseball
But it was Lindor’s night. From his curtain call in the bottom of the ninth to the helmet toss at home plate, it was the type of night Mets fans live for.
— Gab (@gabrielleraucci) April 19, 2025
A walk-off win, a history-making swing; Citi Field in April already feels like October. These Mets are having FUN and are looking to secure another series win with Kodai Senga on the bump for game three of four on Saturday afternoon.
