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

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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.

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