Being the Mets home run king is just two bombs away for the Polar Bear.
On Monday night at Citi Field, No. 251 pulled the Mets within two runs of tying the Cleveland Guardians. The Mets went from trailing five runs to trailing two, to trailing just one, thanks to a 4-for-5 night with four RBI, which also set off the surge that knotted the game.
However, following a heroic rally, the Guardians regained the lead in the top of the tenth inning when third baseman Brett Baty made a mistake and Pete Alonso struck out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. The series began with the Mets losing 7–6 in 10 innings, their sixth defeat in seven tries.
According to manager Carlos Mendoza, Pete had an ideal night up until the final at-bat.
They are now 1.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East with a record of 63-50.
According to Alonso, the team’s comeback was strong. There are many good things, even if we obviously didn’t win.
Shortly after left-hander Sean Manaea collapsed for five runs in the top of the game, Alonso hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Slade Cecconi threw him a sinker up and in with runners on the corners. As if they could push the ball out over the fence themselves, everyone in Citi Field stood up and waved their hands as the ball carried to right-center field.
It carried 388 feet to reduce the deficit to 5-3, just enough to get into the seats.
In the bottom of the eighth, the polar power persisted. With no outs for Alonso, runners were once again put on the corners as right-hander Hunter Gaddis was singled off by Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto to start the inning. He just needed a ball in play this time. Lindor made it 5-4 with ease as a line drive down the left side did the trick.
Soto tied the score with a sacrifice fly by Mark Vientos after Jeff McNeil’s single off Gaddis loaded the bases.
According to Alonso, we simply continued passing the baton. Everyone was having a lot of good at-bats, and each man just seemed to keep getting it to the next guy. Therefore, when you’re working as a team, it’s fantastic.
Closer Edwin Diaz got around the Guardians’ runner on third in the top of the ninth to hold the score knotted.
In the bottom of the ninth with one out, right-hander Cade Smith (4-4) loaded the bases to bring up Alonso. Despite being ready for heroism, he failed. With the bases loaded and the game tied, McNeil grounded a single to shortstop Gabriel Arias.
When [Alonso] drives the ball into the outfield or puts it in play, you feel good about your chances, Mendoza said. Pete had a fairly decent night overall, but they got him after throwing fastballs past him there.
In the following inning, David Fry bunted one up to the third base side after newly acquired right-hander Ryan Helsley (3-2) purposefully walked Jose Ramirez. The game-winning run was scored by Ramirez on a deep fly to right field by Arias after Baty collected it on the hop and attempted to convert a double play but threw it straight past Lindor, allowing the automatic runner to score.
“I just need to throw that play better,” Baty said. I knew the runners would have a difficult time reading the bunt since it was kind of up in the air and went straight up into the air. I then acquired it in a single hop. I need to toss more skillfully than that.
Nevertheless, the Mets appreciated their fight, which they have displayed all season.
It would be more annoying, to be honest, if we did nothing but lay down there and they shut us out or we didn’t truly score that many runs, Alonso remarked. In my opinion, it would be more annoying that way.
For the first time, Manaea found it difficult to face the order the third time. A single and a hit batter in the top of the sixth put him in a bind after he battled Cecconi for five scoreless innings. Fry and Carlos Santana both hit a single, and Steven Kwan scored on a sac fly to put Cleveland ahead 2-0 (57-55). To make it 5-0, Arias started off with a 0-1 changeup and hit a three-run homer.
After five earned runs over five and a third innings, Rocchio singled to finish Manaea’s night. Nolan Jones struck out for the second out. Brooks Raley, a left-hander, entered for the third out.
Cecconi pitched six innings, walking one and striking out six while giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits.
