Alonso Ties HoJo On Mets All-Time Home Run List

 

Pete Alonso connecting on his first-inning home run. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Mets and the Miami Marlins commenced their doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon, a beautiful one after four days of rain in the area that led to Tuesday’s game being washed out. 

The Mets took the opener, 11-2, with Kodai Senga set to take the ball in the nightcap starting at 7:35.

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso got the first game started with a bang, as he blasted a two-run shot to left field in the first inning for his 46th home run of the season, off Miami starter Braxton Garrett.

This was Alonso’s 192nd career home run, and that ties him with Howard Johnson for fourth all-time on the Mets franchise home run list.

Alonso had to wait 12 days to match HoJo, who became a Met Hall of Famer this past June 3. His last homer came on September 15 against the Cincinnati Reds, and he went homerless in the next two games of that series and the seven-game road trip at Miami and Philadelphia.

Since he now has 46 homers this season, Alonso is now in sole possession of second place in the Major Leagues on the home run list this season, behind only Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves, who has 53. Kyle Schwarber is third with 45, and Shohei Ohtani, who has been shut down for the season, is fourth with 44, which is still the most in the American League.

Pete Alonso reaching out to shake third base coach Joey Cora’s hand. Photo by Jason Schott.

Pete Alonso approaching the plate. Photo by Jason Schott.

In Alonso’s next at-bat, in the third inning, he got a two-out single to center field. That brought Francisco Lindor to the plate and he drilled one to left for a two-run homer, his 28th of the season, and it was 4-0 Mets.

The through-line of this game with Alonso continued in the sixth when he led off with a double on a cue shot down the line past first base against Miami reliever JT Chargois.

Two batters later, Mark Vientos blasted a two-run shot, his ninth of the season, and that made it 6-0.

Mets starter Joey Lucchesi opened the game with six shutout innings before he surrendered a pair of runs in the top of the seventh.

With Miami turning to Emmanuel De Jesus in the bottom half, the Mets executed a two-out rally. 

Brandon Nimmo, Ronny Mauricio, and Alonso all singled to load the bases.

Lindor then got a two-run single to bring in Nimmo and Mauricio.

Vientos walked to re-load the bases, and Jeff McNeil followed with an RBI single to bring in Alonso and make it 9-2. 

Nimmo then got a two-run double in the eighth, and two batters later, Alonso was hit by a pitch, meaning he reached in all five plate appearances, on a day he had the historic two-run homer and scored four times.