NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie Carson Benge delivered his first big league walk-off hit, a 10th-inning single that atoned for a first-inning misplay and lifted the Mets past the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Wednesday night after New York star Juan Soto left the game with an ankle injury.
New York trailed 2-0 in the first after Benge dropped Dillon Dingler's catchable fly ball near the right-field warning track, which fell for a double, and Riley Greene followed with
a two-run single off Christian Scott.
Tyrone Taylor had an RBI grounder in the second off Framber Valdez, who made his first start since a five-game suspension for intentionally hitting Boston’s Trevor Story with a pitch. Bo Bichette tied the score with a bloop RBI single in the seventh against Kyle Finnegan.
Soto was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh, four innings after he fouled a pitch off the top of his right ankle. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said X-rays were negative.
Benge, who debuted on opening day, hit a sharp one-out single to center off Drew Anderson (1-1) easily scored automatic runner A.J. Ewing, who made his own debut Tuesday. Benge had been thrown own out at the plate by shortstop Zack Short on a delayed double steal for the final out of the seventh as catcher Dillon Dingler applied the tag.
Brooks Raley (1-1) walked Matt Vierling with two outs in the 10th before he retiring Wenceel Pérez on a flyout.
Scott gave two runs and struck out five in 4 2/3 innings. He is winless in 13 major league starts, tying Colorado's Jon Gray in 2015 and '16 for most consecutive starts without a win opening a big league career.
Valdez allowed two runs and struck out seven.
Tigers RHP Keider Montero (2-2, 3.18 ERA) opposes Mets RHP Nolan McLean (1-2, 2.78 ERA) on Thursday.
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