Alonso hits pair in a win
Mets first baseman adds to NL-leading homer total vs. Miami
Pete Alonso hit two leadoff homers, including a go-ahead shot in the eighth inning, and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 5-3 Saturday.
Alonso’s home run over the left-center field wall against Miami reliever Jimmy Yacabonis (0-1) snapped a 3-3 tie. It was Alonso’s NL-leading 22nd homer of the season and 14th multihomer game of his career.
“I hadn’t seen him at all this year prior to (Friday) and I had a really difficult time picking up his release point,” said Alonso, who struck out against Yacabonis in the series opener. “Thankfully, I took a lesson from (Friday’s) at-bat and applied it today; saw the ball a little bit better and saw the window where the ball was coming out of.”
Brandon Nimmo’s third hit, an RBI double in the ninth, increased the Mets’ lead. Francisco Lindor doubled and singled and Starling Marte had two hits for the NL East leaders.
New York starter Chris Bassitt pitched seven strong innings. Bassitt (6-5) allowed three runs and six hits while striking out five. Seth Lugo pitched a perfect eighth and Edwin Diaz struck out the three batters he faced in the ninth for his 16th save.
“I don’t try to worry about the offense and what they do,” Bassitt said. “Obviously, run support helps, but overall you try to treat the game as 0-0.”
The Marlins erased a 3-0 deficit on Jesus Sanchez’s tworun homer in the fourth and Bryan De La Cruz’s solo shot in the fifth.
Alonso gave the Mets an early advantage with his homer against Miami starter Trevor Rogers in the second inning. Initially, Alonso thought the shot had not cleared the rightfield wall and stopped at second before resuming his trot.
“He doesn’t dwell on past successes and failures,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. “He keeps grinding with it. I think that’s the common denominator of guys who drive in runs and do the things that Pete does.”
The Mets padded their lead on Mark Canha’s RBI groundout and Eduardo Escobar’s run scoring single in the fourth.
Rogers was lifted after surrendering one-out singles to Nimmo, Marte and Lindor to load the bases in the fifth. The left-hander allowed three runs, seven hits, walked one and struck out five. He has not completed six innings since April 28.
Zach Pop relieved Rogers and retired Alonso on a pop out to first and struck out Canha. Marlins relievers had thrown 92⁄3 scoreless innings until Alonso’s second homer.
Trainer’s room
Mets: RHP Max Scherzer (oblique strain) will make another rehab start at one of the club’s minor league affiliates early next week. There was speculation Scherzer would be activated from the injured list and start the series finale Sunday. … INF- OF Jeff McNeill (right hamstring tightness) was not in the lineup for the fourth consecutive game. … RHP Colin Holderman (right shoulder impingement) will throw in a rehab appearance Sunday at Triple-A Syracuse.