Pete Alonso Receives Curtain Call, MVP Chants From New York Mets Fans After Making History
NEW YORK - M-V-Pete.
With the Mets leading the Miami Marlins 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning on Friday night, first baseman Pete Alonso capped off a seven-run frame with his second grand slam of the season.
Alonso's grand slam traveled 368 feet and had an exit velocity of 96.7 mph. It was the Polar Bear's National League-leading 19th homer and MLB-leading 63rd RBI.
Alonso received a barrage of MVP chants from the crowd, before getting a curtain call. His homer busted the game wide open, extending the Mets' lead to 10-1 at this point.
"That was a really fun moment," Alonso said of the MVP chants he received from the Citi Field faithful. "I'm glad other people think that. That's really cool. That was really, really special."
Alonso's latest long ball also turned out to be a historic one. He now has 125 home runs in 435 career games, becoming the second fastest player to do so in baseball history. Former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard accomplished this feat in 405 career games. Alonso's 125th homer tied him with Lucas Duda for eighth all-time in Mets history.
There is no denying that Alonso has played at an MVP caliber level this season. He is now on-pace to crank 46 homers and drive in 154 RBIs. The Mets' current franchise record for RBIs in a single-season is 124, set by David Wright and Mike Piazza. Alonso has a strong chance to shatter this mark.
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