Pete Alonso hit his major league-leading 50th home run, Jacob deGrom pitched shutout ball for seven innings and the New York Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 Friday night.
Amed Rosario hit a two-run homer and Jeff McNeil added a solo shot for the Mets, who opened the day 3 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for the second NL wild card. The Brewers hosted Pittsburgh on Friday night.
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Pete Alonso hit his major league-leading 50th home run, Jacob deGrom pitched shutout ball for seven innings and the New York Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 Friday night.
The Reds intentionally walked Alonso during New York's three-run ninth.
McNeil broke up the scoreless tie with his 23rd homer, a towering drive into the visitors' bullpen down the right field line with one out in the sixth inning.
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Alonso is two homers shy of Yankees star Aaron Judge's 2017 total for the rookie record. The right-handed hitter connected on a two-run blast in the eighth inning against reliever Sal Romano, reaching for a down-and-away pitch and lining it an estimated 437 feet to right-center field. Alonso is the second rookie to reach 50 homers, and he leads Cincinnati's Eugenio Suarez by two for most in the majors.
New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom throws in the second inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoJohn Minchillo)
The Reds intentionally walked Alonso during New York's three-run ninth.
Cincinnati rookie Aristides Aquino led off the ninth with a homer. The midseason call-up has 17 home runs in 49 games this season.
DeGrom (10-8) struck out nine and didn't walk anybody to match his win total from last season, when he won the NL Cy Young Award. He could be a repeat winner after dropping his ERA to 2.51.
New York Mets' Jeff McNeil celebrates after hitting a solo home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoJohn Minchillo)
McNeil broke up the scoreless tie with his 23rd homer, a towering drive into the visitors' bullpen down the right field line with one out in the sixth inning.
Rosario followed J.D. Davis's two-out walk with a two-run shot to left-center field, his 14th homer.
Those were two of the three hits allowed by Luis Castillo in seven innings. Castillo (15-7) struck out seven and walked three.
New York Mets' Jeff McNeil runs the bases after hitting a solo home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoJohn Minchillo)
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: RHP Robert Gsellman's bullpen session went "extremely well," manager Mickey Galloway said. A Saturday evalution will determine whether the next step is pitching live batting practice. Gsellman has been out since August 14 with right tricep tightness.
Reds: Manager David Bell considers the return of OF Jesse Winker (cervical strain) this season "highly unlikely." Winker has been sidelined since August 22.
New York Mets' Pete Alonso, left, celebrates with Jeff McNeil, right, after hitting a two-run home run off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Sal Romano in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoJohn Minchillo)
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Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler (11-7) is 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA over his last 10 starts. New York is 7-3 in those games.
Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani (9-9) is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four career starts against the Mets.
Cincinnati Reds' Aristides Aquino, right, steals second against New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano (24) in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoJohn Minchillo)
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Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto reacts after striking out against New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom to close the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP PhotoJohn Minchillo)