Pete Alonso wasn’t sure it had the distance. Brandon Nimmo felt like he’d seen a ball hit like this six years, four months and 11 days ago in Miami. Carlos Mendoza would soon have a scene burned into his memory and Darryl Strawberry offered congratulations.
Alonso became the New York Mets all-time home run king Tuesday with a 394-foot, line drive to right in the second inning of a 13-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves before 39,478 witnesses at Citi Field.
“To be honest, I didn’t think it had enough at first,” he told SNY in an on-field interview interrupted by a Gatorade shower from Nimmo and Brett Baty. “Right out of the box, I’m like, alright, I gotta go three, I guess. But thank god it carried out of the yard. That was really special.
“It was a beautiful, fleeting moment. I mean, it’s just a few seconds, but you live for those. You work for those. It’s all about wins. I’m just happy to do my part. I’m just really stoked that as a team we had a great team win today and hopefully we can do it again tomorrow.”
Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Alonso’s first career homer was on April 1, 2019, in a 7-3 win over the Marlins, and after that game, he got a shower as well. He was placed in a shopping cart in the clubhouse and showered with eggs, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, beer and shaving cream. Nimmo is one of three current Mets from that box score. (The others are Jeff McNeil and Edwin Díaz.)
Nimmo said Alonso’s record-breaking blast “looked … a lot like the first one he ever hit. I almost had like a deja vu … I just remember him just absolutely murdering the ball.” The home run Tuesday “just absolutely looked like it was shot out of a cannon and has a different sound to it.”
A reporter asked Mendoza what he’d remember about the night.
“Pete standing on the bench in the dugout with a huge smile on his face just saluting the crowd,” he said. “Like taking the helmet off and I had a perfect view there from Pete. Open arms. That’s a moment that I will never forget.”
Strawberry, now second on the Met home run list, addressed Alonso in a video.
“Listen, you have worked hard,” he said. “You have stood up in the pressure of New York City. You have played well. It is well-deserved. You are a homegrown player, and again, congratulations, and continue to have great success. All the best, buddy.”
“Growing up as a kid,” Alonso said, “you never really put yourself in the mind where you can potentially be a franchise leader one day in home runs. That just doesn’t really cross your mind. It’s just really special. What a blessing, what a gift it is to play this game at this level. What a gift it is to hit it at home in front of you guys, so thank you guys.”
Alonso said he has the ball and “it’s gonna go right in the man cave.” Asked if he’s curious how many home runs he might end up with as a Met, the potential free agent joked, “There’s only one way to find out.”
“I love the city of New York. I love this fan base. It’s been great, but again, the business is the business side if they choose to go another direction … It’s been great playing here. I hope it doesn’t end.”
