Pete Alonso had four hits, including a two-run homer, and scored a career-high four runs on Wednesday afternoon as the host New York Mets damaged the Miami Marlins’ wild-card hopes with an 11-2 win in the opener of a doubleheader.
The Marlins (81-76) fell a game behind the Cubs (82-75) in the race for the third and final National League wild card while slipping 2 1/2 games behind the second wild card, the Diamondbacks (84-74), by virtue of Arizona’s 3-0 win earlier Wednesday over the Chicago White Sox.
Chicago is slated to play the Atlanta Braves later Wednesday.
Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer in the third and Mark Vientos hit a two-run shot in the sixth for the Mets (72-85), who snapped a four-game losing streak. Lindor had a two-run single during a three-run seventh, with Jeff McNeil adding an RBI infield single.
Brandon Nimmo had a two-run double in the eighth, when Alonso — needing a triple for the cycle — was plunked with one out.
Alonso opened the scoring for the Mets with a two-run homer in the first off Braxton Garrett (9-7). The first baseman had at least four hits in a game for the sixth time in his career and for the first time since he had four hits against the Oakland Athletics on Sept. 25, 2022. He posted his lone five-hit game against the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 15, 2019.
Joey Lucchesi (4-0) earned the win after allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three over six-plus innings. He carried a shutout into the seventh, when Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Nick Fortes chased him with consecutive doubles to open the inning.
Fortes scored when Jorge Soler was credited with a one-out sacrifice fly, though McNeil dropped the ball for an error.
Lucchesi, who has a 2.89 ERA, has surrendered three runs or fewer in eight of his nine starts this season.
Jon Berti finished a homer shy of the cycle for the Marlins, while Chisholm and Jake Burger each had two hits.
Garrett, who entered Wednesday with a 2.10 ERA in his last 10 starts, gave up four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two over four innings.
–Field Level Media