St. Louis – Pete Alonso is having an impressive start as he aims to defend his NL Player of the Month title.
After being honored last Friday for his performance in March and April, Alonso bounced back with a strong effort, helping the Mets snap their two-game losing streak.
The Mets were able to connect well that night, but it was Alonso’s fifth home run that really made a difference, leading to a 9-3 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Alonso hit a go-ahead homer that secured the Mets’ ninth straight win against the Cardinals, dating back to last season.
This is the longest winning streak the Mets have managed against a former division rival.
“It’s a long season, but it’s been a good month. I just want to keep it going and help my team win,” Alonso remarked, noting his impressive 1.131 OPS during March and April, even as the team started slowly offensively.
Contributors were plentiful that night, with the Mets racking up a total of 17 hits. Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez both got three hits, and Nimmo reached base five times, including a home run.
“Alonso’s performance is just one more highlight of the hard work he’s put in during the offseason,” Nimmo said. “He seems to be in a great space. This isn’t just a brief success; it feels sustainable.”
Clay Holmes picked up the win, allowing three runs on eight hits over six innings while striking out three.
Initially, the Cardinals took an early lead against Holmes, but he later retired 10 of the next 11 batters.
Masyn Wynn kicked things off with an RBI single, putting the Cardinals ahead 1-0.
Lars Nootbaar then doubled the Cardinals’ lead and stole third, creating more momentum.
Nimmo led off the second inning against Sonny Gray, scoring on Jeff McNeil’s groundout to register the Mets’ first run.
Alvarez’s subsequent RBI hit put the Mets ahead 2-1. Jesse Winker and Mark Vientos helped load the bases that inning after Nimmo walked.
Alec Burleson struck a single off Holmes’ ankle in the second inning.
Despite some early trouble, Holmes marked the final outs of the inning, but the Cardinals managed to tag him for four singles, putting the Mets in a 3-2 hole.
Victor Scott II led off with a single, progressed to second on a groundout, stole third, and later scored on a throwing error by Alvarez.
With more singles from Wynn and Brendan Donovan, Wilson Contreras added a two-out RBI single.
Alonso, facing a changeup from Gray, blasted a two-run homer to center in the fifth inning, marking his eighth homer this season. Notably, Soto had just doubled before his homer, giving Alonso 30 RBIs in his first 33 games.
Manager Carlos Mendoza noted, “[Alonso’s] ability to manage the strike zone has shown remarkable improvement since last year. He’s hitting smarter pitches now and isn’t chasing as much.”
Alonso himself commented on feeling “mechanically locked in.”
“It’s my seventh year; I know what I need to do to succeed,” he shared.
The Cardinals handed the Mets an opportunity late in the game when Vientos hit what could have been a double play. Contreras mishandled a throw from Wynn, allowing Nimmo to score.
Alvarez extended the lead with an RBI single, pushing the score to 6-3.
Nimmo further padded the Mets’ lead with a home run in the seventh inning against John King, marking his third homer of the week. He had already hit two—including a grand slam—earlier against the Nationals.
Alvarez added another significant RBI single in the later inning, cementing the Mets’ victory with a final score of 8-3.
