Alonso’s solo homer in the seventh made him the fourth player in Mets history with three 100-RBI seasons. David Wright reached the milestone five times, and Carlos Beltrán and Darryl Strawberry each did it three times.
“Through thick and thin, we know one thing: Pete’s going to walk through that door the same guy every day,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said. “Pleasure to be around. He never has a bad day. He cares about his teammates, cares about the Mets. And to see guys like him have success, it makes it even more enjoyable.”
Alonso’s 41 home runs are tied for the second-most in a season in franchise history with Beltrán and Todd Hundley. Alonso holds the team record with 53 as a rookie in 2019.
“It seems like yesterday I was in my rookie season,” Alonso said. “This is my fifth year and time flies. It means a lot. This place has been extremely special to me. New York’s treated me so incredibly well.”
Alonso can become a free agent following the 2024 season, and speculation has been heating up about whether the retooling Mets will trade him this winter after dealing away veteran aces Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander this summer to restock the farm system.
“Everybody knows that’s part of the game until the contract is done,” New York shortstop Francisco Lindor said.
Dominic Canzone preceded Ford’s drive with his second two-run homer in two days. But nifty defensive plays by Mets right fielder DJ Stewart in the second and Lindor in the fifth helped stall a pair of potential Seattle rallies.
“It’s the big leagues, guys make plays,” Servais said. “And they made a few more than we did today.”
Francisco Álvarez had an RBI single for the fourth-place Mets (63-74), and touted rookie Ronny Mauricio went 1 for 4 with a single in his third big league game. Mauricio was the seventh player in team history to begin his career with consecutive multi-hit games.
Tylor Megill (8-7) gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings. Adam Ottavino allowed a pair of baserunners in the ninth before striking out J.P. Crawford to earn his eighth save.
George Kirby (10-9), who hadn’t started since Aug. 23 due to an illness, gave up four runs (three earned) in three innings. He threw 73 pitches, including 52 in the opening two innings — his most in the first two innings of a game.
STREAKING
Teoscar Hernández extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a fifth-inning single for Seatle. Julio Rodríguez’s 15-game hitting streak ended as he went 0 for 4.
BRING IT ALL HOME
The series in New York was a homecoming for several Mariners. Dominic Leone, a Connecticut native who was claimed off waivers from the Angels on Thursday, threw 1 1/3 innings for Seattle, the third team for whom he has pitched this season at Citi Field. He signed with the Mets in May before being traded to Los Angeles on Aug. 1. Kirby grew up in Rye, a little more than 20 miles from Citi Field, and Justin Topa, who earned the win Saturday, played at Long Island University after graduating from high school in upstate Binghamton.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: 1B Ty France (elbow) didn’t play after being hit by a pitch Saturday night. France has been plunked 29 times, tops in the majors.
Mets: 3B Mark Vientos (right foot), injured running the bases Saturday night, sat out but is expected to play Tuesday at Washington. … RF Starling Marte (right groin) feels better after a week of treatment in Philadelphia but said surgery is an option if he doesn’t continue improving. Marte underwent double groin surgery last fall.
UP NEXT
Mariners: A 10-game road trip continues as RHP Bryan Woo (2-3, 4.15 ERA) pitches Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Cincinnati. The Mariners are 15-3 all-time against the Reds — their least-frequent opponent.
Mets: Following a day off, LHP José Quintana (1-5, 3.26 ERA) opens a two-game series Tuesday in Washington, which counters with LHP Patrick Corbin (9-12, 4.90). Quintana has allowed three runs or fewer in seven of eight starts this season.
