With trade deadline approaching, Mets encourage front office to continue buying with 15-2 win over Twins

NEW YORK — The Mets solidified their status as buyers by trading for two relievers and a bench bat. One night before the trade deadline, the Mets encouraged the front office to continue their buying spree with a 15-2 win over the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field.

Pete Alonso hit his 21st home run of the season and left-hander Jose Quintana was especially sharp in six innings of work. The Mets scored six in the fourth inning, five in the sixth and four more in the seventh. They batted around twice and piled on the runs, staying relentless in their approach.

The Twins used six different pitchers, including outfielder Matt Wallner. It got ugly quick.

Quintana gave up a double and an RBI single to start the game, but then struck out Royce Lewis on a full count and hit cruise control from there. He faced almost no traffic on the basepaths after the first inning until the sixth, when Byron Buxton singled to lead off and Carlos Santana hit a one-out single to put two on with the Mets up, 6-1. But Willi Castro popped up to left field and Austin Martin struck out to end the inning.

Quintana (6-6) gave up minimal hard contact and walked only one while striking out five. The Mets’ lead was never in danger.

Minnesota right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson melted down in the fourth inning. The Mets’ second-round draft pick in 2018, Woods Richardson was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of the trade deadline in 2019 along with left-hander Anthony Kay in exchange for Marcus Stroman. Until Monday, he had been enjoying a solid rookie campaign, but the Mets tagged him for six earned runs in one inning, the second-most he’s given up in the major leagues and the most since he gave up seven to the Washington Nationals in April.

In the fourth, Alonso led off with a solo homer and the next six batters reached base before Brandon Nimmo recorded an out with a sacrifice fly.

Finally, down 5-1, the Twins went to the bullpen for right-hander Cole Sands.

J.D. Martinez’s sacrifice fly put the Mets up, 6-1. The Mets were far from done, even if Woods Richardson (3-2) was.

In the bottom of the sixth, right-hander Josh Staumont gave up a leadoff single to Harrison Bader, he then walked Francisco Lindor and gave up an RBI single to Nimmo. He managed to get Martinez to ground into a force out but Lindor came around to score. Things continued to devolve from there.

He walked Alonso and Tyrone Taylor legged out an infield single to load the bases. Staumont walked Mark Vientos to bring in another run before getting pulled for left-hander Steven Okert.

Even Okert struggled. He gave up a sinking liner to Jeff McNeil and right fielder Max Kepler bailed him out with a sliding catch. Still, it scored Alonso. Luis Torrens walked to keep the bases loaded and Okert hit Bader in the ankle with a pitch to bring in another run.

In the seventh, with right-hander Jose Butto pitching in place of Quintana, Taylor robbed catcher Ryan Jeffers of a home run with a catch over the right-field wall. Jeffers finally got that home run in the ninth inning off Butto, who recorded the three inning save.

The Twins (58-47) came into the series holding the second AL wild-card spot and the Mets (56-50) came in holding the third spot in the NL. It was a decisive win over a good team, one that should warrant more trade help.