NEW YORK — Pete Alonso put himself in some highly effective firm on Sunday.
The All-Star slugger homered twice and drove in 4 runs, reaching 40 homers and 100 RBIs for the second consecutive season because the New York Mets beat the first-place Seattle Mariners 6-3.
Alonso hit an RBI single within the first inning earlier than his two-run shot within the third made him the fifth participant in main league historical past with at the least three 40-homer seasons in his first 5 campaigns, becoming a member of Corridor of Famers Ralph Kiner (4 instances), Eddie Mathews, Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols.
“Sort of mind-baffling,” Alonso stated. “Spectacular names. I had no concept.”
Jeff McNeil additionally went deep — after ending a homer shy of the cycle Saturday night time — and New York took two of three video games from the Mariners handy them their first collection loss since Aug. 11-13 in opposition to the Baltimore Orioles.
“It has been some time,” Seattle supervisor Scott Servais stated.
Seattle, which received a franchise-record 21 video games in August, started the day main the American League West by one sport over the Houston Astros.
“We simply had a historic month for the group, and we had perhaps a bit of setback right here,” stated M’s first baseman Mike Ford, who hit the second of back-to-back homers within the fourth. “However we are able to get proper again on it.”
Alonso’s solo homer within the seventh made him the fourth participant in Mets historical past with at the least three 100-RBI seasons. David Wright reached the 100-RBI milestone 5 instances, and Carlos Beltrán and Darryl Strawberry every did it thrice.
“By way of thick and skinny, we all know one factor: Pete’s going to stroll by means of that door the identical man day by day,” Mets supervisor Buck Showalter stated. “Pleasure to be round. He by no means has a nasty day. He cares about his teammates, cares concerning the Mets. And to see guys like him have success, it makes it much more pleasing.”
Alonso’s 41 dwelling runs are tied for the second-most in a season in franchise historical past with Beltrán and Todd Hundley. Alonso holds the crew document with 53 as a rookie in 2019.
“It looks like yesterday I used to be in my rookie season,” Alonso stated. “That is my fifth yr and time flies. It means quite a bit. This place has been extraordinarily particular to me. New York’s handled me so extremely nicely.”
Alonso can change into a free agent following the 2024 season, and hypothesis has been heating up about whether or not the retooling Mets will commerce him this winter after dealing away veteran aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander this summer time to restock the farm system.
“All people is aware of that is a part of the sport till the contract is completed,” New York shortstop Francisco Lindor stated.
