Umpire Collision Helps Mets Escape Rally, Secure 10-2 Win Over Tigers

The New York Mets prioritized run prevention in the offseason, and an inadvertent assist from an umpire delivered just that during Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers.

The Mets entered with one of baseball's worst records at 16-25 despite a league-high payroll of $334.8 million. But they finally caught a break in the top of the fifth inning with a 3-2 lead.

Detroit's Riley Greene singled to right field, putting Colt Keith on third base. Keith beat the throw to third, which sailed away, and he took off for home.

As Keith ran, he collided with third-base umpire Rob Drake. Drake fell to the infield grass, delaying Keith by a couple of seconds. That gave Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta time to throw him out at the plate, ending the inning and snuffing a Tigers rally.

New York then erupted for three runs in the sixth inning and three more in the eighth. The Mets bullpen kept Detroit off the board the rest of the way in a 10-2 victory.

The Mets owned the season's longest losing streak at 12 games but have won six of their last 10 while fighting to salvage their season.