Pete Alonso homers against Mets again as Orioles win 7-1 to finish sweep at Citi Field

NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso homered against the New York Mets again, a solo shot in the first inning that sent the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-1 victory Wednesday night and a three-game sweep at Citi Field.

Jeremiah Jackson, a former Mets farmhand, went deep in the second before Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Samuel Basallo hit back-to-back homers in the third. Chris Bassitt pitched into the seventh for the Orioles (75-78), who moved within 2 1/2 games of the Chicago White Sox for the last American League playoff berth.

Alonso tied the score in the ninth inning Tuesday with his 300th career homer and took a rare curtain call on the road to acknowledge adoring Mets fans still unhappy about his departure for Baltimore last December.

This time, he connected off fill-in starter Xzavion Curry (0-1) to begin an early power display by the Orioles. They launched nine homers in the series after totaling seven in their previous nine games before arriving in Queens on Monday.

Alonso rounded the bases to another warm ovation Wednesday night — albeit not as raucous as the one he received Tuesday night.

The popular slugger 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.

Basallo added an RBI single in the ninth for the Orioles. Bassitt, who won 15 games for the Mets in 2022, allowed five hits — including Marcus Semien’s fourth-inning RBI single — and struck out six over 6 2/3 innings.

The start matched the longest this season for Bassitt (8-5), who underwent back surgery in June.

Orioles: Had not announced a starter for Friday, when Baltimore begins its final homestand against RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.49 ERA) and the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mets: Rookie RHP Nolan McLean (11-9, 3.24 ERA) opens the last home series of the season Thursday against RHP Aaron Nola (6-10, 4.69) and the Philadelphia Phillies.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

New York Mets Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after being called out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Yennier Cano (78) celebrates with catcher Samuel Basallo after defeating the New York Mets in a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Baltimore Orioles Christian Encarnacion-Strand (32) celebrates with teammate Coby Mayo (16) after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Baltimore Orioles Pete Alonso hits a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

Baltimore Orioles Pete Alonso (25) celebrates a solo home run with his teammate Coby Mayo (16) during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Christian Yelich’s two-run double in the seventh inning sent the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Yelich grounded his double down the left-field line off Carmen Mlodzinski (7-7) to erase a 4-3 deficit. His big hit came one night after the Brewers became the first team in the major leagues to clinch a division title this season, winning their fourth consecutive NL Central crown.

Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy played all his regulars. The Brewers have the best record in the majors at 95-57 and hope to finish atop the overall standings to earn home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Milwaukee has won seven of its past eight games.

Oneil Cruz, Brandon Lowe and Rafael Flores Jr. homered in consecutive innings to put the Pirates ahead 4-3 in the sixth. The Pirates, who have lost four of five, have hit a franchise-record 174 home runs this season, breaking the previous mark of 171 in 1998.

Antonio Senzatela (11-5) retired two batters and Trevor Megill pitched a perfect ninth for his 28th save.

Both starting pitchers, Milwaukee’s Logan Henderson and Pittsburgh’s Jared Jones, allowed three runs in five innings. Jones struck out nine and Henderson fanned eight.

Henderson has given up three runs or fewer in each of his first 22 career starts, one shy of the major league record set by Zac Gallen from 2019-20 with Miami and Arizona.

Consecutive RBI singles by the Brewers’ Andrew Vaughn and Cooper Pratt in the second inning opened the scoring. Brice Turang doubled home a run in the fifth.

The series concludes Thursday afternoon with Brewers LHP Kyle Harrison (10-4, 3.98 ERA) starting against RHP Wilber Dotel (1-5, 4.84).

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Pittsburgh Pirates' Rafael Flores Jr. celebrates as he rounds second base after hitting a solo home run off Milwaukee Brewers' Logan Henderson during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Milwaukee Brewers' Andrew Vaughn (28) follows through on a single off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Jones, driving in a run, during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill, right, celebrates with catcher William Contreras after getting the final out of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich (22) celebrates with first base coach Spencer Allen after driving in two runs with a single off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich hits a single off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski, driving in two runs, during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)