Flushing, NY- Expect the game winning hit from Pete Alonso and the Mets slugger has had more than one since his arrival to the big leagues with a record NL 2019 Rookie of The Year season. Then, Alonso established a MLB home run record for a rookie with 53.
He also was honored as NL Rookie of The Year and with the prestigious Latino Sports MVP honor, NL Rookie of The Year as voted by members of Latino Sports writers and broadcasters.
Friday evening at Citi Field, Alonso put another winning mark on the resume, his 105th RBI and walk-off single gave the Mets a 7-6 win over the Rockies. The 25th game winning RBI also set a franchise record in a season.
The ground ball got Brandon Nimmo home with the winning run, the Mets sixth walk-off win, 26th come-from-behind, and more importantly kept the Mets two games ahead of the Braves in the National League East.
But winning hits are expected from Alonso, though, he will be the first to admit this is all a team effort. Regardless, Alonso has been and still remains a major cog in a balanced Mets lineup, a factor that has his team holding the second best record in the National League with 81 wins.
Though Mets fans are accustomed to Alonso hitting the home run ball, 31, this season and coming up with the huge hit. Again at Citi Field Friday night, Alonso produced in the big situation and thrived on the pressure.
“It’s a privilege to be put in these situations,” he said moments after teammates once again surrounded him in the infield. “I’m just trying to put the ball in play hard every single time I go up there,”
His game winning RBI mark is ranked fourth and most in MLB since 1954, and a franchise season RBI record is on the horizon, 134 is the projection with 124 currently in jeopardy. Basically the way Alonso is making contact at the plate, there is little doubt he will establish a new club record that has been held by Mets alumni Mike Piazza and David Wright.
All in good company for Pete Alonso, during the Mets 60th season of National League baseball in New York. Manager Buck Showalter also looks at his ability to deliver.
“Can you imagine that type of power at your fingertips and in your ability and be able to kind of get in a little bit and to try to deliver what the team needs?” Showlater said. “He’s not sneaking up on anybody.”
In realty, though, Alonso will establish new records as he continues to be a key component of the Mets lineup and puts emphasis in leading the Mets to their first World Series since 2015.
And true to his ability of getting the big hit, Alonso also attributed this win to those who got a rally going in the 9th inning, another of those come-from-behind wins the Mets have been doing so often this season.
“We had a ton of great at bats prior to mine and I thought we did just an unbelievable job as an offense, grinding and battling,” he said.
But nothing is bigger than the huge game winning hit from Pete Alonso,the home run or the ground ball through the infield. And that second hit in four at bats Friday night was another example of what is expected to be more to come down the stretch.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer @Latinosports.com. Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com Watch “Sports with Rich” live on Tuesday Nights at 8pm EST on The SLG Network/Youtube with Robert Rizzo Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify under The SLG Network.
