This was the script from last fall. Regardless of how the first seven or eight innings had gone, the Mets discovered another gear late, often against the opposing team’s most dominant relievers. Here it was, supercharged by the presence of Soto. “If we’ve got Juan up at the end of the game,” said Clay Holmes, “everybody likes our chances.”

The Mets’ near-rally in the eighth featured two-out walks to Soto, Alonso and Mark Vientos, bringing up Nimmo as the potential go-ahead run. On the first pitch from righthander Bryan Abreu, he lined hard to centerfield, where Jake Meyers ran it down.

The home run helped the Mets gain some separation over the Astros (1-1). They took two off Brown in the second inning, but after Soto’s homer made it 3-0, the Mets’ bats were effectively quieted. Right-hander Tylor Megill faced the minimum through three innings, but struggled to make it through the order the second time around.