Remembering Mets History (2019) Pete Alonzo Becomes the First Met to Hit 50 HRs In a Season

-

Friday, September 20th, 2019: Mickey Callaway's New York Mets (80-73) were still in the wild card race 3.5 games back with ten games still left to play. But they were also chasing two other teams for that second wild card spot. 

Tonight, the Mets were in Cincinnati to take on David Bell's Reds (72-81) in front of 20,576 fans, many of them Mets fans. 

Tonight, everyone new that The Mets NL Rookie of the Year, Pete Alonso was setting a rookie HR mark & was looking to become the first Met to ever hit 50 HRs in a season.

That year's Cy Young Award winner, Jacob deGrom (9-8) entered the game leading the league in ERA (2.61) strike outs (239) & WAR (6.3) for pitchers, as well as walks & hits per nine innings (1.005) he took on the Reds' Luis Castillo (15-6 / 3.22 ERA / 211 Ks / 239 Ks).


The game started out all about the pitchers, both shutting the other team out into the 6th inning. 

In the top of the 6th, Jeff McNeil, the number four hitter in the league (.321) in the batting race, hit his 23 HR of the year. 

McNeil had also flashed his glove, making a fine play at third earlier in the game.

In the 7th inning with two outs, J.D. Davis walked & Amed Rosario hit a two run HR, making it 3-0 Mets. It was Rosario's 14th HR of the year.

In the 8th inning, the hot hitting Jeff McNeil got his second hit of the night with a single to right field. 

Pete Alonso then stepped in. Pete was already leading the majors in HR (49) & was about to make Mets history, once again. 

 Alonso launched a massive HR into the right field steamboat, a ball that was absolutely crushed at an estimated 437-feet. 


Alonso became the first Met to hit 50 HRs in a season in team history. He was now just one of two rookies to ever hit 50 or more HRs in the history of MLB.

The Mets added three more runs in the 9th inning off pitcher Keury Mella. Brandon Nimmo singled, Jeff McNeil then collected his third hit of the night, a double scoring Nimmo with his 73rd RBI of the year. He advanced to third on a throwing error.  

Pete Alonso was walked intentionally & Juan Lagares singled bringing in McNeil with the Mets seventh run. Wilson Ramos walked & Michael Conforto singled, breaking his long slump bringing home Alonso with his 84th RBI of the year to make it 8-0 Mets .

Jacob deGrom has put himself in the front running for another Cy Young Award as he won his tenth game (10-8) lowering his league leading ERA to 2.51. He now has a league best 248 strike outs. 

 deGrom had won three in a row & pitched at least seven innings in his last six starts, while tossing 14 straight scoreless innings. He won his second straight Cy Young Award that season & Pete Alonso went on to set a rookie HR record as well.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mike Piazza To Enter Hall of Fame As a New York Met

-
Image
In case there was any doubt, Mike Piazza announced today that he will be entering the hallowed Halls of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, forever wearing a Mets cap. "I'm going in as a New York Met" he said. These are words that bring a smile to all Mets fans faces & maybe a tear in their eye. It's a sigh of relief that Piazza got what he worked so hard for & certainly deserved. He now joins Tom Seaver as the second Met to officially enter as a New York Met. It has been a great year for the New York Mets & their fans as well. It certainly is much deserved. From the team reigning as National League Champions to Piazza entering the Hall of Fame, it's great to be a Mets fan. The induction ceremony will take place July 24th at Cooperstown New York.              http://m.mets.mlb.com/news/article/161281068/mike-piazza-to-wear-mets-cap-in-hall-of-fame
Read more

Remembering Four Time Mets All Star Catcher & Coach- John Stearns (1951 - 2022)

-
Image
John Harden Stearns was born August 21, 1951, in Denver Colorado. At age 17, he was originally drafted in 1969 by the Oakland A's but chose to attend the University of Colorado instead.  Stearns became a star baseball & football player at the University of Colorado.  In 1971 his older brother was drafted by the AL New York club, also as a catcher but never made the bog leagues. Bad Dude: As a defensive back, Stearns felt he had to hit harder than anyone else on the defense. So when Sports Illustrated asked how he'd like to be descried on the field, he said as a "Bad Dude". The name stuck & certainly played out his career living up to the moniker.  I n 1972 Stearns was drafted by the NFL's Buffalo Bills as a defensive back but did not sign. The next year in 1973, he was the first pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in the MLB draft, he was the second overall pick after behind Clyde Wright. Stearns was chosen ahead of future Hall of Famers, Robin You
Read more

Remembering Mets History: (1978) Tough Guy John Stearns Wins Out In Home Plate Collision With Dave Parker

-
Image
Friday June 30th, 1978: Joe Torre's fifth place Mets (33-45) were in Pittsburgh at Three Rivers Stadium to play Chuck Tanner's fourth place Pirates (35-38) in a weekend series. A nice crowd of 31,947 came out as the Mets; Nino Espinosa (6-7) went up against rookie Don Robinson (4-2). Nino Espinosa would lead the 1978 Mets staff with eleven wins (11-15) & tie for most losses. He pitched 203 innings but struck out just 76 batters & walked 75. In the top of the 3rd inning, Mets pitcher Nino Espinosa doubled, Len Randle singled & Tim Foli brought in the first run with a sac fly. The two pitchers both pitched well as the game stayed 1-0 until the 5th inning. In the Pirates 5th, Phil Garner doubled & stole third. He scored on Frank Taveras base hit to tie the game. In the home 7th, the Garner doubled again. Ken Macha then doubled & shortstop Frank Taveras singled again to make it 3-1 Pirates. In the top of the 8th, Lenny Randle & Tim Foli bo
Read more

Remembering Mets History: (1980) John Stearns Tackles A Fan On the Playing Field

-
Image
Thursday June 12th, 1980 : A Shea Stadium crowd of 19,501 fans came out to Shea Stadium, for this series finale, hoping the Mets could sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers. Joe Torre's fourth place Mets (26-27) were trying to get to .500 as they hosted Tommy Lasorda's second place Los Angeles Dodgers (32-24).  The Mets sent John Pacella & his classic moustache, to the mound going up against L.A.'s Dave Goltz. Goltz had led the AL in wins (20) & starts (39) playing for the Minnesota Twins in 1977. It was a wild series that already had had a bench clearing brawl two days earlier. That fight started when the Mets' Pat Zachry hit Ron Cey with a pitch after two Dodger HRs. In the 1st inning, Pacella walked Davey Lopes, then balked. Catcher, John Stearns threw out Lopes trying to steal third. In the top of the 2nd, Dusty Baker singled & Ron Cey walked. Rookie catcher, Mike Scioscia then hit an RBI double scoring Baker for a 1-0 Dodger lead. In the Dodger 3rd, Bill Ru
Read more

Remembering Vixen Founder / Guitarist; Jan Kuehnemund (1961-2013)

-
Image
centerfieldmaz was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Jan Kuehnemund, the founding member of the all female metal band Vixen. Jan was a fantastic guitarist, song writer & women pioneer in Heavy Metal. I am a huge fan of hard rock all girl bands & Vixen were one my long time favorites. Janice Lynn Kuehnemund was born November 18th, 1961 in St. Paul Minnesota. The female guitarist formed one of the first all female Metal bands in Minnesota with singer Janet Gardner while in high school in 1980. By 1985 they moved the band to Los Angles California, to be part of the Heavy Metal scene. In 1987 the classic Vixen line up of Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar) Janet Gardner (vocals/ guitar) Share Pederson (bass) & Roxy Petrucci (drums) formed & released their debut album the following year. Vixen 1988 In a world of all male Heavy Metal bands during its heyday, Vixen were groundbreaking in being an all female metal band. The Runaways, with Joan Jett & Lita Ford
Read more