Elías Díaz Plays Hero as San Diego Padres End New York Mets’ Streak in Walk-Off Classic

The San Diego Padres capped a wild night with a dramatic 7-6 walk-off win over the red-hot New York Mets on Monday (July 28), snapping their opponent’s seven-game winning streak. In a game packed with twists, momentum shifts, and late-inning tension, Elías Díaz came through in the clutch, delivering a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to drive in José Iglesias and complete a stunning comeback.

The inning began with a single from Xander Bogaerts off Mets reliever Gregory Soto (0-3). Iglesias then laid down a bunt that Soto fielded and threw wildly, setting the stage. A fielder’s choice and a strikeout followed before Díaz ripped a liner into left-center, triggering a celebration as the Padres notched their fifth walk-off win of the season.

From Slam to Slide: Mets Let Game Slip Away

New York looked firmly in control after Mark Vientos crushed his first career grand slam off Padres starter Dylan Cease in the fifth, extending the Mets’ lead to 5-1. Ironically, just an inning earlier, Fernando Tatis Jr. had robbed Vientos of a two-run homer with a stunning leaping catch.

But momentum swung violently in the bottom of the fifth as San Diego erupted for five runs. Luis Arraez ignited the rally with a towering two-run homer off the right-field foul pole, punctuated by a signature bat flip. RBI hits from Manny Machado, Bryce Johnson, and Díaz helped even the score at 6-6.

Chaos, Injuries, and Ejections

Dylan Cease was briefly shaken after taking a one-hopper to the head in the third but remained in the game. Moments later, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was ejected after arguing a called third strike on Juan Soto.

The Mets’ unraveling continued with defensive blunders, including a costly failure by Huascar Brazobán to cover first base. Though Ronny Mauricio briefly tied the game in the ninth with a solo homer off closer Robert Suarez (3-4), the Padres finished what they started in a dramatic fashion.

Also Read: India’s Chess Revolution: How Divya Deshmukh’s Victory Will Inspire The Next Generation