"I'm faster than Mark Vientos": Mets' catcher Francisco Alvarez outduels teammate for first career triple in win over Nationals 

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez registered his first career triple, which was inches away from being called a home run, during the Mets' 9-7 win over the Washington Nationals on Monday. However, the catcher seemed to be content with the fact that he outdueled fellow teammate Mark Vientos in getting the triple first.

The RBI triple in the right field came against the Nationals' Hunter Harvey in the bottom half of the 10th, with the Mets leading 6-3. For the night, Alvarez went 2-for-5, including three RBIs on a double and a triple at Nationals Park.

Talking about the triple, and outdueling Vientos for it, Alvarez was content with his outing:

"I feel like, I'm always looking for that, I always like, I want to have my first triple, you know, and I'm happy, you know, I'm faster than Mark Vientos, he didn't have a triple already," Alvarez said.

"Maybe I was thinking about that, when I see, when I see that Ophelia run to take the ball, I'm like, 'I'm going to third base, I'm going to have my first triple,'" he added.

Francisco Alvarez credits David Peterson's start for win over Nationals

MLB: Spring Training-Washington Nationals at New York Mets Credit: IMAGN

Monday's game went down to the wire, and credit for the Mets' win was in part due to David Peterson's 6.1 innings going for just two runs. It was one of the difference makers in the run-fest game.

Alvarez was all praise for the Mets' starter, saying he made the pitches accurately on the night:

"He keeps the pitches in the zone and was looking so great today, and if he keep doing like that, I think he can be one of the best pitchers in our team," Alvarez said.

Tied at 3-3, the game went into extra innings where both team's offenses scored big time. The Mets added six runs in the 10th, courtesy of J.D. Martinez's three-run homer, Francisco Alvarez's RBI triple and Jose Iglesias' two-run homer.

In response, the Nationals added four of their own, but ultimately fell short of the chase, losing 9-7 in the end.

The second game of their four-game series with the Nationals takes place on Tuesday.