LaMonte Wade Jr. delivers a pinch-hit blast as Astros top Mets 6-3 at Citi Field

Wade’s two-run home run in the sixth inning turned the game for Houston, while rookie Ethan Pecko earned his first career win in a Sunday afternoon victory.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

Houston’s late-inning plan looked routine until it needed a jolt, and LaMonte Wade Jr. provided it. In the sixth inning at Citi Field, Wade came off the bench for a pinch-hit appearance and launched a two-run home run that put the Astros ahead, a lead they carried to a 6-3 win over the Mets on Sunday.

The swing mattered because it changed the tone of a game that otherwise had stayed within reach. With the scoring tied or close enough to stay alive, Wade’s blast created separation at the exact moment Houston needed it, turning a one-bat swing into a multi-run cushion.

The Astros’ offense continued to play around that advantage, finishing the day with enough production to hold off New York’s bid to get back in it. The final margin was three runs, 6-3, giving Houston a clean result that did not require a tense finish once the lead was established.

On the other side, the victory also offered a milestone. Rookie right-hander Ethan Pecko was sent to the mound to begin earning his place in big league moments, and MLB’s game report credited him with his first career win in the decision.

Pecko’s first-win outing came with the game’s pressure tied to that go-ahead swing. When a young pitcher gets support like that, the levers of the game shift, and Houston’s ability to respond after Wade’s home run helped keep New York from taking the lead back.

For Houston, the win moved the club to 69-68, a record that underscores how tight the late-season picture can be. It was also a meaningful series result for the Astros, who won their second in New York as part of this weekend set.

For the Mets, the loss was a reminder that games can narrow quickly when one bench bat turns a close moment into a multi-run deficit. Wade’s pinch-hit homer did exactly that, and the 6-3 final kept New York from turning Sunday’s opportunities into the kind of comeback needed.

Going forward, Houston will look to build on this style of depth hitting, where the bench can produce immediate game-turning impact. Meanwhile, for Pecko, the first career win is the first checkpoint in what has to become a consistent pattern if he is going to hold onto a larger role as the season progresses.

Why It Matters

Pinch-hit impact swings late-season games by adding immediate runs, and Wade’s blast was a direct example of that value.
Pecko earning his first career win is a key development marker, especially for a rookie trying to establish reliability.
Houston’s 69-68 record reflects the importance of every head-to-head outcome and the margin for error at this stage.
The Mets’ inability to erase the deficit after Wade’s homer highlighted how quickly one sequence can decide a close game.

Sources

Key Facts

LaMonte Wade Jr. hit a two-run pinch-hit home run in the sixth inning.
Ethan Pecko, a rookie right-hander, earned his first career win in the game.
The Astros defeated the Mets 6-3 at Citi Field on Sunday afternoon.
Houston improved to 69-68 with the victory.
The game report described Wade as the Astros’ hero off the bench.
Houston won its second game in New York during the series.