NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso hit another home run against his former team Wednesday night — and received another ovation from New York Mets fans still smarting over his departure for the Baltimore Orioles last December.
Alonso, who launched his 300th career homer Tuesday night to tie that game in the ninth inning, went deep in the first this time off emergency starter Xzavion Curry.
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The midweek crowd at Citi Field stood and applauded prior to the Polar Bear's at-bat and chanted “Pete Alonso!” before he drove a 74 mph curveball 410 feet into the second deck in left.
Fans continued cheering as the slugger rounded the bases, though the reception wasn’t nearly as raucous as Tuesday, when a pumped-up Alonso shouted in excitement and fired his bat toward the Baltimore dugout before beginning his home run trot.
The crowd of 28,097 — down from 35,800 for his much-anticipated return to Queens on Monday night — roared as Alonso circled the bases that time. Those cheers continued until he stepped out of the visitors' dugout to take a rare curtain call on the road. Fans then began another chant of “Fire Stearns” directed at Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns.
The homegrown Alonso hit a franchise-record 264 home runs and made five All-Star teams in seven seasons with the Mets. But they didn't attempt to re-sign him as a free agent last offseason and Alonso agreed to a $155 million, five-year contract with Baltimore. The 31-year-old first baseman has 37 homers and an American League-high 102 RBIs for the Orioles, who began Wednesday last in the AL East but only three games out of a playoff spot.
Despite an opening-day payroll of more than $350 million, the Mets endured a 12-game losing streak in April and have spent most of the season in the NL East basement. They were eliminated from playoff contention Monday night and assured of a losing season with Tuesday’s loss to Baltimore.
The popular Alonso was given his 300th home run ball by the trio of Long Islanders — Michael Shaw, Nick Maldarella and Chris Makarius — who teamed up to catch the milestone drive, which caromed off the second deck of stands in left field and fell into the first deck.
Alonso signed a bat and a ball for each fan in return. He also signed the shirts they were wearing — an Alonso Mets jersey for Shaw and Makarius and a Carlos Delgado shirt for Maldarella — and offered them tickets and batting-practice access at Camden Yards in Baltimore next season.
Alonso also posed for a group picture and for photos with each person individually.
“I mean, who doesn’t love Pete?” Shaw said.
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