Alvarez was the emotional charge for the Mets in a game New York absolutely had to win over the playoff-bound Chicago Cubs.
CHICAGO — Francisco Alvarez stopped a step or two short of first base. He turned his body to the right, toward the New York Mets’ dugout, so he could fully see the faces looking back at him with exuberance. The 23-year-old, playing in pain, paused be... [4725 chars]