Benge and Ewing nail the Padres at home plate as the Mets hang on for a 2-1 victory

NEW YORK (AP) — Right fielder Carson Benge threw out two San Diego Padres runners at home plate on consecutive plays in the first inning, fellow rookie A.J. Ewing cut down another from left field moments later, and the New York Mets held on for a 2-1 victory Monday night.

Nolan McLean recovered from a shaky start to last six effective innings as the last-place Mets (57-69) won for the 10th time in 13 games since selling big at the trade deadline.

Bo Bichette had an RBI single in the first, Luis Robert Jr. added a sacrifice fly and New York cooled off the Padres, who began the night tied with Philadelphia for the final two National League playoff spots.

San Diego entered a major league-best 17-5 since July 24.

McLean (9-8) gave up six hits and walked four. He allowed seven straight batters to reach base and needed 45 pitches to get through the first two innings. But thanks in large part to his outfielders, the rookie right-hander limited the damage to a deep sacrifice fly by Fernando Tatis Jr. with the bases loaded in the second that made it 2-1.

Ewing ended the inning when he threw out Xander Bogaerts at home plate on Jake Cronenworth's single.

Jonathan Pintaro got four outs in relief and Nate Lavender retired both batters he faced. With new closer Kodai Senga receiving a rest, Daniel Duarte struck out two in the ninth for his third career save and second this season.

Padres starter Walker Buehler (7-6) gave up two hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out four.

The early throws by Benge and Ewing made the Mets the only major league team since at least 1920 with three outfield assists at the plate in the first two innings of a game, according to SNY.

Padres LHP Robbie Ray (10-7, 3.28 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Tuesday night against rookie LHP Zac Thornton (3-3, 2.78).

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

New York Mets' Nolan McLean pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) tags out San Diego Padres' Xander Bogaerts at home plate during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez, left, tags out San Diego Padres' Manny Machado during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4) tags out San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth (9) at home plate during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean reacts after catcher Francisco Alvarez, right, tagged out San Diego Padres' Manny MacHado during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has been reelected for a second five-year term, the Electoral Commission of Zambia announced early Tuesday.

He was declared the outright winner of last Thursday's presidential election without the need for a run-off, having secured 61.4% of the 5 million votes cast.

According to the commission, Hichilema won with 2,965,326 votes and his closest competitor was opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who won 1,856,217 votes.

“I therefore declare, Hichilema Hakainde S, to be president-elect of the Republic of Zambia this 18th day of August, 2026,” commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said.

Hichilema’s victory follows a closely watched election which saw the vote counting suspended last Friday and then restarted hours later under heightened security after the commission said there had been attacks against some polling station officials and some ballot papers had been stolen.

The government also confirmed that several leading opposition figures were arrested on the night of the elections, with the police accusing them of posing a threat to state security.

Mundubile said his home was raided by the police in what he called an attack on his life.

Thursday’s election was seen as a test of Hichilema’s economic recovery plan after the copper-rich nation was plunged into a debt crisis in 2020. Hichilema was elected in 2021 and oversaw the restructuring of Zambia’s sovereign debt while reining in inflation and stabilizing the currency.

International observers, including the European Union, said the election was largely peaceful, but said the “broader electoral process took place in an environment that limited fundamental freedoms."

“Late legal changes, legal uncertainty, and unequal campaign conditions distorted the playing field,” said Michael McNamara, chief of the EU observation mission.

In a pastoral statement, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed concern over the deployment of the army during the vote counting

“The maintenance of order during elections is constitutionally and statutorily the responsibility of the Zambia Police Service,” the bishops said.

Magome reported from Johannesburg.

Election workers open containers of ballots as counting begins in Lusaka, Zambia, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anita Reed)

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema shares a light moment with journalists after casting his vote at a polling station in Lusaka, Zambia, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anita Reed)

Election workers count ballots at a polling station in Lusaka, Zambia, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Alfonso Nqunjana) CORRECTION: Corrects the country to Zambia instead of South Africa.

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema casts his vote at a polling station in Lusaka, Zambia, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anita Reed)