Carson Benge's arm the difference-maker in Mets' 2-1 win over Padres

In a tense 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on Monday, New York Mets left fielder Carson Benge proved to be the difference-maker with his incredible arm. Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth and center fielder Jackson Merrill each started their innings by reaching base, but Benge shut down their attempts to score with a series of blistering throws.

First, Cronenworth rounded third base on a single and was tagged out by Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez as Benge launched a perfect 99.9 mph dart to the plate. Benge's second assist of the inning came shortly after, when Padres third baseman Manny Machado rounded first base on a sharp liner. Benge's 103.9 mph throw to Alvarez retired Machado, marking his ninth assist of the season and becoming the third-hardest outfield assist tracked by Statcast since 2015.

Benge's defensive prowess continued in the second inning when Cronenworth grounded a single in the opposite direction, leading to another out by Benge. Padres third-base coach Bob Henley attempted to make a third consecutive out, but New York's left fielder A.J. Ewing connected for a one-hop strike to the plate. Benge not only made the drive look easy but also tagged out Xander Bogaerts to end the inning.

Despite the Padres' offensive struggles, the team enters their next matchup with a one-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final National League Wild Card spot. The Diamondbacks suffered a 11-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox, and star second baseman Ketel Marte was placed on the restricted list after failing to report for the game at Fenway Park. New York will face off against Padres rookie southpaw Walker Buehler in the next game, looking to even the series and secure a crucial win.