Mets slugger Pete Alonso backs up his 'fun' attitude with go-ahead HR in Game 2 vs. Padres
Mets' Pete Alonso (20) reacts during game against the San Diego Padres in the National League Wild Card Series at Citi Field on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Pete Alonso raised some eyebrows late Friday night when he said the Mets’ 7-1 loss to the Padres in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series was “fun.”
Fun? That was fun?
“It’s not great losing,” Alonso said. “It’s never fun losing, especially the first game of a playoff series like this one, but this is fun baseball. I’m really excited to go tomorrow.”
The good news for the Mets was that they had a tomorrow after Friday’s defeat. Alonso did his best to help them make it to another tomorrow with a home run for the go-ahead run in their 7-3 victory on Saturday.
Alonso led off the fifth inning with a blast to left to give the Mets the lead for good at 3-2. The 402-foot drive off righthander Nick Martinez was his first postseason home run after he went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in his first postseason game Friday.
“Being able to come up clutch in a spot like that, to get the lead, that was awesome,” Alonso said. “Hopefully I can hit a few more like that tomorrow and going forward. I’m just really happy I was able to help the team.”
This is what Alonso was talking about when he said Friday was “fun.” Saturday was just more fun. Sunday night could be the most fun of all if the Mets can win and make it to the NLDS against the Dodgers.
“Like I said yesterday, this is fun baseball,” Alonso said. “I’m just so excited to come to the field tomorrow. This is what it’s for. I’m going to come ready to go.”
The Padres had just tied the score against deGrom in the top of the fifth on Jurickson Profar’s RBI single.
In a game that was filled with chances for both teams, deGrom buckled down after Juan Soto sent Profar to third with a single of his own with one out. DeGrom struck out Manny Machado and Josh Bell to keep the score tied at 2.
During the regular season, Alonso hit 40 home runs and had 131 RBIs. He had 35 go-ahead RBIs, which was the most in the majors.
The go-ahead RBI in the fifth was his first of the postseason. But he hopes it’s not his last.
Wouldn’t that be fun?
“These past two games have been completely different than the regular-season 162,” Alonso said. “There’s something about postseason baseball from what I’ve experienced. Every tiny little mistake is capitalized on or any little slip-up can be taken advantage of . . . Today, we flipped the script. We took advantage of every little opportunity.”
Alonso did have a funny moment later in the seventh inning when he walked on a 3-and-2 pitch to cap a 10-pitch plate appearance against lefthander Adrian Morejon.
Alonso must have lost track of the count because he did not head to first after ball four. Plate umpire Chris Guccione strolled around to the batter’s box and informed him that he could take his base. The sellout crowd chuckled. Alonso’s reluctant walk helped the Mets build a 7-2 lead as they scored four in the inning.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
