When Francisco Álvarez stepped into the box in the top of the eighth inning Tuesday night, the game was hanging in the balance. The Mets and Cubs were locked in a 7–7 tie, with Wrigley Field buzzing after Chicago had clawed its way back into the game.

But Álvarez silenced the crowd with one swing.

With two outs and Luisangel Acuña standing on second after a stolen base, Álvarez got a fastball from Caleb Thielbar and crushed it to straightaway center for a go-ahead two-run homer, his 10th of the season. The ball sailed over Pete Crow-Armstrong’s outstretched glove and into the basket, giving the Mets a 9–7 lead that Edwin Díaz would later lock down.

“It was a huge moment for us,” Álvarez said postgame. “I was just looking for something I could drive. I know my job is to help this team win games, and in that spot, I wanted to be the guy.”

Álvarez’s homer wasn’t just a turning point in the game — it capped off a night that showed his growing maturity at the plate. Earlier in the game, he struck out in the third and reached on a fielder’s choice in the fifth, eventually coming around to score on Pete Alonso’s RBI single. In the sixth, he worked a key walk to keep a Mets rally alive, setting up Francisco Lindor’s go-ahead knock at the time.

Manager Carlos Mendoza praised his young catcher after the game. “Francisco has been grinding,” Mendoza said. “He had a tough at-bat earlier, but he stayed locked in and came through in the biggest moment. That’s what special players do.”

For the season, Álvarez now sits at 10 home runs and 38 RBIs in what has been a streaky but promising campaign. His power bat from behind the plate has been a crucial piece of the Mets’ offense, and Tuesday’s homer could be a sign of a strong finish to his sophomore year.