Pete Alonso smashes another home run, moving closer to breaking the Mets' all-time home run record.
In a thrilling display of power hitting, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso smashed a three-run home run in the first inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, marking his 250th career home run. This milestone brings Alonso two homers away from tying the Mets' all-time home run record of 252, held by Darryl Strawberry.
Alonso's impressive performance came just a day after he snapped an 18-game hitless streak with a home run in the previous game against the Giants. The home run against San Francisco was Alonso's 24th of the season, leaving him one homer behind Juan Soto for the team lead.
Mets manager Buck Showalter was full of praise for Alonso's play, saying, "He's pretty good. We saw it [on Friday], and we continued to see it today. Hopefully he takes off from here now ... I think he's getting there." Team captain Carlos Mendoza also expressed his pride, commenting, "Proud of him. Not an easy number there, especially in that first inning there, setting the tone."
Alonso's 250th career home run was reached in 957 games, faster than Strawberry's record of 1109 games over eight seasons with the Mets from 1983-1990. Alonso joins an exclusive group of players who have hit at least 250 home runs in their first seven major league seasons, which includes Ralph Kiner, Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, and Eddie Mathews.
Alonso's three-run home run against the Giants gave him a team-best 86 RBIs, with Kyle Schwarber and since-traded Eugenio Suárez being the only players with more in the National League. The Mets went on to win the game against the Giants with a score of 12-6.
In addition to his home run heroics, Alonso showcased his defensive skills in the eighth inning of the game, making a diving stab and scrambling to beat Jung Hoo Lee to the bag for the second out. Alonso's strong play on both offense and defense bodes well for the Mets moving forward.
As Alonso continues his pursuit of Strawberry's record, fans and teammates alike are eager to see him break the franchise mark. The Mets will look to Alonso to continue his hot streak as they face off against the Giants in their next game.
Pete Alonso's home run in the first inning of the game against the San Francisco Giants marked his 250th career home run, bringing him two homers away from tying the Mets' all-time home run record of 252, held by Darryl Strawberry. Alonso's impressive performance in the MLB not only includes his power hitting, but also showcases his defensive skills, as demonstrated by his diving stab in the eighth inning of the game against the Giants.
