QUEENS, NY — Sometimes, it takes just one play to dictate the trajectory of a starting pitcher's day, and for the young New York Mets' hurler Jonah Tong, issues were bubbling early for him on Thursday afternoon.

With one out in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field, the 22-year-old right-hander gave up a single to Luis Arraez before Manny Machado smacked a line drive that one-hopped the wall in left field.

But instead of staring down the barrel of a one-out jam with runners on second and third, Tong received a lifeline. Machado wasn't running at full speed, and left-fielder Brandon Nimmo played the ball flawlessly off the bounce, delivered a clean relay throw to shortstop Francisco Lindor, who quickly turned it to Jeff McNeil at second to lay the tag on the Padres'

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