MIAMI -- Apparently, all Pete Alonso needed was a change of scenery to get things kick-started offensively.
He struggled to find solid contact during the Mets¡¯ season-opening series against Houston, but Miami¡¯s balmy climate provided a warm welcome for the Polar Bear. Alonso, a Florida Gators star from 2014-16, looked unflappable during New York¡¯s 6-5, 11-inning win over the Marlins on Wednesday at loanDepot park. He finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs, emerging as the Mets¡¯ undisputed hero after scorching a game-tying three-run home run in the eighth inning.
With New York down 4-1, Alonso stepped to the plate with two runners on and two outs. The at-bat was a gauntlet: Alonso went ahead 2-1 before Marlins pitcher Calvin Faucher evened the count with a strike low and inside. But Alonso didn¡¯t go down easily. He fouled off four consecutive pitches before getting a four-seam fastball on the outside corner and blasting it to center field.
The homer was a no-doubter, rocketing off of Alonso¡¯s bat at 113.4 mph, per Statcast.
¡°I¡¯m just looking to get a good pitch to hit over the middle of the plate,¡± Alonso said. ¡°Thankfully, for me, I was fighting off some really tough pitches there. He came at me with his best stuff, and he located some good ones -- especially early in the count -- but I was able to just stay under control and let the ball show up where I wanted it to.
¡°I¡¯m just happy I was able to come through for the team right there. Today was obviously a really important game for us, and [I'm] just happy to help contribute.¡±
Alonso swung a big stick the entire game. He had four of the five hardest-hit balls of the night, which included exit velocities of 113.1 and 114.5 mph, the latter of which came from a first-inning double that brought in New York¡¯s first run.
Alonso¡¯s four RBIs matched Miami¡¯s entire RBI tally for the game. And he came up huge at another crucial venture, coaxing a walk to begin the two-run 11th-inning rally that sealed New York¡¯s win. Alonso¡¯s never-quit mentality was apparent again in the at-bat, as he fouled off three pitches before drawing a walk.
He was so locked in to the at-bat that he didn¡¯t even realize he¡¯d just taken ball four.
¡°I was just trying to not get strike three called on me,¡± he said. ¡°Once you¡¯re in that kind of battle like that with the pitcher, it¡¯s like, 'OK, take a swing, survive that pitch and then get back ready.'
¡°Yeah, I lost count,¡± he said with a smile.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza extolled his star first baseman¡¯s plate discipline.
¡°Controlling the strike zone, short to the ball, and when he's doing that, he's getting the barrel and making contact,¡± Mendoza said. ¡°We know the power is real. First at-bat today, smoked the ball in the gap, then that homer in the eighth was pretty impressive. But you see him take walks, you see him laying off some tough pitches. And that's who he is.¡±
Alonso was a burgeoning bright spot for a Mets team that struggled to find standouts throughout the series. Its defense gave up another run via a Mark Vientos error after Francisco Lindor¡¯s pair of mishaps from Tuesday night's 4-2 loss. Meanwhile, Brandon Nimmo, Luis Torrens and Juan Soto -- who¡¯s now reached base safely in 32 consecutive games (including the postseason) -- have been the team¡¯s only other consistent players at the plate.
New York posted a combined .220 batting average Wednesday night, while going just 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. The squad has the second-lowest numbers in the National League in both categories.
For Alonso and the Mets, they¡¯re hoping the momentum from this win carries into their home opener at Citi Field versus Toronto on Friday.
¡°I'm really excited,¡± Alonso said about returning home.
¡°That moment [Friday], it¡¯s going to be so awesome. ¡ Any guy lives for those little moments like that, so it's going to be really special. [I¡¯m] stoked to be back. This is a great group. Playing at Citi Field is super, super special. It's such a sick place to play, I love it.
¡°Mets fans have embraced me, this organization has embraced me. They've believed in me since day one, and for me, it's just amazing to be back. Hopefully we can get a 'W' on Opening Day at home.¡±