Mets can only hope Francisco Alvarez’s frustrating luck is due for a turn

They were having fun. At last. Finally. After a two-month slog that turned their baseball season upside-down, the Mets, at last, seemed to have rediscovered some of the small joys of baseball. They’d spent Sunday mingling with Little Leaguers at Williamsport, Pa., some of them sliding down that town’s hills in dry sleds like they were the 12-year-olds.

Now, in the bottom of the seventh inning, they had a 7-3 lead on the Seattle Mariners, and Brandon Nimmo was FaceTiming the Little League World Series Kidcasters, Thomas Gamboa and Roman Brunetti, on ESPN2. Starling Marte photo-bombed over Nimmo’s shoulders; they looked finally to have shed the weight of an extended, prolonged slump.

Then, Francisco Alvarez, leading off the inning for the Mets, drilled a ball off the wall in right field at Journey Bank Ballpark. It was his third hit of the night, his second double. And nobody was happier for Alvarez than Nimmo.

“Alvy!” Nimmo screamed, shaking his fists. “Atta way, Alvy!”