In what may have been his last time at bat for the New York Mets, star first baseman Pete Alonso delivered the most important home run of his career—a go-ahead, three-run opposite-field shot in the ninth inning of the decisive Game 3 of the Mets’ National League Wild Card series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
This clutch hit flipped a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 Mets lead, leaving the crowd at American Family Field in disbelief. The Brewers had just taken control with back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning and were just two outs away from securing their first playoff series victory since 2018. According to Opta Stats, Pete Alonso became the first player in MLB history to hit a go-ahead home run while trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all playoff game.
Whether this dramatic moment marks the start of a World Series run for the Mets remains to be seen. However, history favors them: every team that has knocked out the Brewers from the playoffs has gone on to reach the Fall Classic. Now, here’s a look at Pete Alonso’s top 3 home runs in his Mets career:
Alonso didn’t see major-league action until March 2019, but by July, he was playing like a seasoned veteran. During his rookie-record 53-home run season, Pete Alonso stopped in Cleveland to claim his first Home Run Derby title, edging out fellow rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the finals after Guerrero’s amazing run.
Alonso started by beating hometown favorite Carlos Santana, then outlasted Ronald Acuna Jr. in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Guerrero and Joc Pederson had a fierce showdown, going into a tiebreaker and a swing-off. But in the end, Alonso triumphed with 23 home runs in the finals, just one more than Guerrero’s 22.
The 2019 Derby was the first time the winner earned $1 million, so Alonso scored big, especially for a rookie who wasn’t yet earning his true value.
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Coors Field’s thin air saw plenty of home runs in the 2021 Derby, but Pete Alonso was in a league of his own. His 35 homers in the first round were enough to surpass Royals catcher Salvador Perez’s strong showing. He then needed just 16 home runs to defeat Juan Soto in the semifinals, with 16 again being the highest number of that round.
The final round captured the ruthlessness of Alonso’s approach. While many were hoping for a heartwarming victory for Trey Mancini, who had recently beaten Stage 3 colon cancer, Alonso stole the spotlight with 23 home runs, winning his second straight title.
As much as Mancini’s story was inspiring, Alonso came to Colorado to crush homers, finishing with a total of 74.
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Fast forward to today, and Pete Alonso has done it again. He smashed a go-ahead, three-run homer off Brewers closer Devin Williams in the ninth inning, securing the Mets’ 4-2 victory and their NL Wild Card Series win on Thursday night.
“This is something you practice in the backyard as a kid,” Alonso told ESPN after the game. “I’m just happy to come through for my boys. We’ve worked really hard all year. I had some great at-bats in front of me. I’m just really happy to come through for my team right there.”
With this thrilling comeback in the decisive Game 3 against Milwaukee, the Mets advanced in the playoffs for the first time since winning the 2015 National League pennant. They’ll now face the NL East champion Phillies in a best-of-five Division Series, starting Saturday in Philadelphia.
Image Credit: © Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
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