Pete Alonso came back to Citi Field wearing Baltimore gray, tied the game with a ninth-inning blast, and still drew the kind of ovation usually reserved for a home-club star. His 300th major league homer set the stage for the Orioles’ 7-5, 11-inning victory over the Mets on Tuesday night.
Alonso’s No. 300 gets a Citi Field curtain call
| Team | R | H | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orioles | 7 | — | Won in 11 innings |
| Mets | 5 | — | Lost in 11 innings |
| Alonso milestone | Figure |
|---|---|
| Career home runs | 300 |
| 2026 home runs | 36 |
| Distance of No. 300 | 414 feet |
| Career homers at Citi Field | 124 |
With Baltimore down late, Alonso drove a Kodai Senga pitch over the left-center-field fence for a solo homer that evened the score in the ninth. The 31-year-old first baseman flung his bat toward the third-base dugout, circled the bases as the noise built, then was sent back out by his Orioles teammates for a curtain call.
“You don’t often see a curtain call from somebody in gray pants,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “That was pretty neat.”
It was Alonso’s first homer at Citi Field as a visiting player, though the stadium’s response made clear how much of his history remains in Queens. He spent seven big league seasons with the Mets, hitting 264 home runs in 1,008 games and becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in the category.
The return had started a night earlier. Before Monday’s game, Mets fans chanted his name after the anthem and again during pregame work. A tribute video played before first pitch, and Alonso tipped his cap. The welcome continued when he came to bat in the first inning.
On Tuesday, the cheers were loud enough after the milestone shot that Senga could not hear his PitchCom device.
“You could tell how much that fan base loved him,” Senga said through an interpreter. “He’s been a great hitter for a long time. There isn’t much more to add.”
The human note: Alonso kept the focus on Baltimore
Alonso signed a five-year, $155 million contract with Baltimore last December, and the Orioles brought him in for precisely the kind of late-game moment he delivered in Flushing. Teammate Coby Mayo called the homer a reminder of why a club acquires a hitter of Alonso’s stature.
“That is why you bring in a player like Pete,” Mayo said. “Big situation, big home run. It says plenty about the kind of player he is.”
Right-hander Shane Baz put it more simply: “He’s such a freaking dog.”
Still, Alonso’s landmark swing was not the final blow. Mayo ended the night with a three-run inside-the-park homer in the 11th inning, giving Baltimore a win that mattered in the American League Wild Card chase.
| AL Wild Card race | Record | Games remaining |
|---|---|---|
| Guardians | 77-75 | 10 |
| Orioles | 74-78 | 10 |
| Baltimore deficit | 3 games | — |
The Orioles remained three games behind Cleveland for the third AL Wild Card spot. Alonso, now the 19th active player with 300 homers, kept his attention there rather than on the round number.
“It’s a nice number, but I’m proud of this group,” Alonso said. “We battled all game, and it was an unbelievable team win.”
His milestone also placed him in a rare bit of history. He became the 20th player in AL/NL history to hit his 300th homer against a former club. Andrew McCutchen was the previous player to do it, reaching the mark for Pittsburgh against Philadelphia on April 14, 2024.
Only Ralph Kiner, with 329, and Albert Pujols, with 319, hit more home runs than Alonso through their first eight MLB campaigns.
For Alonso, though, the larger target is October.
“We’re pushing for the postseason,” he said. “The opponent doesn’t matter at this point. Every game is important down the stretch. We want to play in October.”
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Pete Alonso Hits 300th Career Home Run in Orioles Win at Citi Field
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Pete Alonso tied the game with his 300th MLB home run at Citi Field, received a curtain call from Mets fans, and watched the Orioles beat New York 7-5 in 11 innings.
