Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer into the second deck in the 10th inning Wednesday night to cap a dramatic comeback by the host New York Mets, who beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7.
Francisco Alvarez forced extra innings with a three-run, two-out homer in the ninth for the Mets, who won for just the sixth time in 17 games this month.
Harold Ramirez and Josh Lowe had RBI singles against David Robertson (1-0) in the top of the 10th for the Rays before the Mets rallied again against Pete Fairbanks (0-1). Jeff McNeil led off with a single to send automatic runner Brandon Nimmo to third. After Francisco Lindor struck out, Alonso hit his fourth career walk-off homer.
Mark Vientos, recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Syracuse, hit a game-tying two-run homer in the seventh for the Mets. Lindor had two hits.
The Rays squandered multiple multi-run leads in falling to 4-5 on a season-long 10-game road trip.
Isaac Paredes had an RBI double in the fourth and Jose Siri homered in the seventh to stake the Rays to a 2-0 lead. The slumping Brandon Lowe hit a tie-breaking two-run homer — his first round-tripper since April 27 — for Tampa Bay in the eighth and Randy Arozarena had an RBI infield single in the ninth before the Mets rallied against Jason Adam in the bottom of the inning.
Daniel Vogelbach drew a leadoff walk against Adam, who then plunked Starling Marte. Pinch hitter Brett Baty struck out and Vientos flew out to center before Alvarez — the third straight rookie to bat for New York — homered off the facade of the second deck.
Alvarez punctuated the homer by sauntering up the first-base line and staring into the home dugout before jumping and flipping his bat in the air.
Brandon Lowe, who entered Wednesday hitting .113 since April 28, went 2-for-3 in his second straight two-hit game. Paredes and Josh Lowe also had two hits apiece.
Wander Franco and Taylor Wells each stole two bases for the Rays, who finished with seven steals, one shy of the team record set against the Boston Red Sox on May 3, 2009.
Mets starter Kodai Senga had the best start of his rookie season. He allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out 12 over six innings.
Starter Josh Fleming allowed three hits and two walks while striking out two over five scoreless innings for the Rays.
–Field Level Media