Behind scenes with NY Mets and Mariners at MLB Little League Classic
The Little League Classic was a day chock full of events for the Mets and Mariners on Aug. 17, 2025, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Edwin Diaz was on unsteady ground.
The Mets closer was missing high on the glove side with his fastball. Then, he looked down and noticed that the front spike on one of his shoes was broken. A change of shoes apparently did the trick to get Diaz back in a groove against the Reds.
The Mets closer struck out Elly De La Cruz in the at-bat interrupted by the wardrobe change and picked up a slick defensive play from Luisangel Acuña to help the Mets escape with a 5-4 victory at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
“I think I was slipping a little bit, so I was missing up with my fastball,” Diaz told SNY’s Steve Gelbs after the game. “I didn’t have my command today with my fastball. As soon as I changed, I started feeling better. I was landing better, I made pitches and got out of trouble.”
The win helped the Mets move six games clear of the Reds in the NL Wild Card race.
Diaz came on and gave up a leadoff single to Ke’Bryan Hayes before his sketchy command led to an eight-pitch walk to Matt McLain and a four-pitch walk to TJ Friedl.
The Mets closer managed to buckle down. In a full count against Noelvi Marte, Diaz managed to get him to swing through an inside slider for out No. 1.
Then, after noticing what was making him uncomfortable on the mound, he showed home-plate umpire Nick Mahrley the damage and was able to make the change in the middle of De La Cruz’s at-bat. With a fresh pair of black spikes, he froze the Reds’ No. 3 hitter on a 99.5 mph knee-high fastball for the second out.
“As soon as that happened, I turned to (Mike Sarbaugh) and said, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that, especially in that situation right there, bases loaded,” Carlos Mendoza told reporters. “I’m just glad he was able to finish that inning.”
In the final at-bat, Gavin Lux ripped a slider into the second base hole, but Acuña made a sliding stop and Diaz sprinted to cover third base to record the final out.
Diaz needed 30 pitches to work through the chaotic frame, throwing more balls than strikes, but managed to pin down his 26th save.
“An unreal play from both ends – Acuña getting there and then being able to hit him on the chest when you got a guy covering first base on the mound,” Mendoza said. “Then for Diaz to catch the ball, knowing that the game’s on the line and you got a pretty good runner getting down there just kind of beating him, it was well executed.”
The Mets led 5-1 after the top of the fourth inning, with Mark Vientos providing the biggest lift on an RBI single and a solo home run.
The Reds clawed back to within one run with a three-run fourth inning against David Peterson, with Tyler Stephenson lacing a two-run double and Hayes adding a sacrifice fly.
Neither team could scratch across a run in the final five innings as Peterson held on for his ninth win after 5⅓ innings of work and Diaz managing to shut the door down the stretch. Ryne Stanek was brought on with two runners on and one out in the sixth inning and picked up a pair of strikeouts.
Then, Tyler Rogers and Brooks Raley tossed clean seventh and eighth innings.