MIAMI (AP) — Pete Alonso hit two home runs, including the 100th of his career, and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 9-4 on Tuesday night to give Carlos Carrasco his first win with the team.
Alonso launched a two-run homer in the first inning for No. 100 and later added a solo shot. The 26-year-old slugger reached the milestone in his 347th game, the second-fastest in major league history. Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard did it in 325 games.
“It’s truly a blessing to be able to get to those numbers as quickly as I did,” Alonso said. “But there’s also a lot of hard work that’s been put in throughout my entire life.”
Alonso’s long ball in the ninth gave him 32 this season.
“I want to say thank you to everybody in my life who’s had a positive impact on me,” Alonso said. “It’s awesome. So hopefully get to two-, three-, four-, five-, six-hundred more.”
Francisco Lindor’s two-run single capped a three-run sixth that snapped a 4-all tie. Jeff McNeil hit a leadoff single against reliever Paul Campbell (1-3) and scored on shortstop Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s fielding error with the bases loaded.
Carrasco (1-2) threw five innings in his eighth start for the Mets. Only one of the four runs he allowed was earned as New York committed three errors during his outing.
The veteran right-hander, acquired with Lindor from Cleveland in the offseason, gave up seven hits, struck out four and walked one. He missed the first four months of the season because of a hamstring injury.
“I was back and forth with myself in the game,” Carrasco said. “But more importantly, was trying to put zeros on the board.”
The third-place Mets (70-69) remained four games behind NL East leader Atlanta but gained a game on the second-place Phillies.
“We didn’t play our best baseball,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said. “I’m glad the guys found their stroke later.”
Aaron Loup relieved Carrasco and pitched a perfect sixth. The Mets got scoreless innings from Trevor May and Brad Hand before Miguel Castro closed it with a perfect ninth.
Two-sport Olympic silver medalist Eddy Alvarez was promoted from the Marlins’ Triple-A club Tuesday and started at second base. Alvarez, a member of the recent U.S. Olympic baseball team and a speed skater in the 2014 Winter Games, went 1 for 4 with an RBI and scored once.
“He had good at-bats tonight,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “I thought he was more under control than he was last year, a little calmer.”
Miami starter Edward Cabrera was lifted after three consecutive walks and two hit batters that put New York ahead 4-2 in the third. Cabrera allowed one hit and walked four in 2 1/3 innings.
“Those are things that happen and you learn from it,” he said. “You just have to keep working.”
Isan Díaz’s sacrifice fly and Alvarez’s run-scoring double in the bottom half tied it at 4.
Alonso gave the Mets an early lead with his shot off Cabrera. Miami cut the deficit on Jesús Sánchez’s RBI single in the bottom half.
Cabrera had his first career hit and RBI on a game-tying double that scored Alvarez from first in the second.
FROM VICTIM TO THIEF
Mets third baseman Jonathan Villar had a hit denied in the fourth, when Marlins third baseman Díaz dove, stopped his hard smash and threw him out at first. But Villar returned the favor in the bottom of the inning, diving to his left to stop Bryan De La Cruz’s hard grounder and throwing him out.
ROSTER MOVES
In addition to Alvarez’s call-up, the Marlins claimed RHP Taylor Williams off waivers from San Diego. LHP Ross Detwiler and INF Deven Marrero were designated for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: 1B Jesús Aguilar was a late scratch because of left knee soreness. ... INF Miguel Rojas (left trap soreness) sat out but is expected to play Wednesday.
UP NEXT
LHP Rich Hill (6-6, 3.92 ERA) will start the middle game of the series Wednesday, while the Marlins go with Sandy Alcantara (8-13, 3.36).
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
