Pete Alonso inched closer to the New York Mets’ all-time home run record on Monday.
The Cleveland Guardians’ unlikely playoff push took another small step forward, too.
The Guardians will look to clinch a series win on Tuesday when they visit the Mets in the middle contest of a three-game interleague set.
Left-hander Logan Allen (7-9, 4.06 ERA) is slated to start against Mets right-hander Clay Holmes (9-6, 3.45).
Gabriel Arias homered and finished with four RBIs on Monday for the Guardians, who overcame squandering a five-run lead to edge the Mets 7-6 in 10 innings.
Alonso socked a three-run shot in the sixth inning, the 251st homer of his career, one shy of Darryl Strawberry’s record Mets total. The long ball began the comeback for the Mets, who tied the game in the eighth and had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth.
Alonso, who hit an RBI single in the eighth, struck out in the ninth against Cade Smith before Jeff McNeil lined out. The Guardians scored twice in the 10th, when automatic runner Daniel Schneemann came home from second on a throwing error by third baseman Brett Baty before Arias added a sacrifice fly.
The chaotic win improved the Guardians to 17-7 since July 7 — the third-best record in the majors in that span behind only the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox. Cleveland is 2 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, who are tied for the last two American League wild-card spots.
The Guardians were seven games out of the last playoff spot through July 6. Cleveland has mounted its push despite the absence of starting pitcher Luis L. Ortiz and closer Emmanuel Clase, both of whom were placed on the restricted list last month while they are the subjects of gambling investigations by Major League Baseball.
“We just need to get in,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We just want to get in the dance and give ourselves a chance. I love the way our guys are playing. We just need to continue to be us every single day.”
The Mets might be in the process of making their path to the playoffs more difficult than it appeared nearly two months ago. New York had the best record in baseball at 45-24 through June 12 but is just 18-26 since.
The Mets occupy the second National League wild-card position and are 1 1/2 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East — matching their largest deficit since July 2.
Alonso took solace in the comeback by the Mets, who took a 12-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday and didn’t get a runner past second base in the first five innings Monday against Slade Cecconi.
“I think it’d be more concerning if we just kind of got blown out 5-0,” Alonso said. “But for us to kind of battle back and keep fighting, that’s a lot of good signs.”
Allen earned a win in his most recent start, when he gave up two runs over a season-high seven innings as the Guardians beat the Colorado Rockies 10-4 on July 29. He has yet to face the Mets.
Holmes took a defeat on Wednesday after allowing four runs (two earned) over a season-low 3 2/3 innings as the Mets fell 5-0 to the visiting San Diego Padres. Holmes is 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA and three saves in 10 appearances (all in relief) against the Guardians.
–Field Level Media
