What happened
Francisco Alvarez homered twice to power the Mets to a win, marking the sixth multi-homer game of his career. New York rode the outburst behind the plate as it heads into the stretch before the trade deadline.
Why it matters
Alvarez's power surge adds a data point to a Mets lineup that has been sorting through its identity ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. A two-homer game from the catcher gives the club another reason to lean on its young core rather than sell it off.
By the numbers
Alvarez's performance marks his second multi-homer game of the season and, combined with his prior outings, the seventh of his career before turning 25 — trailing only Darryl Strawberry (11) and David Wright (9) on the Mets' all-time list for that mark.
What to watch next
The Mets carry the momentum into their series as they continue sorting through trade chips before the Aug. 3 deadline.