Pete Alonso duplicated the monster game he had earlier this week against the Yankees, and he joined some heady company in Mets history.
For the second time in four days, Alonso hit two home runs and drove in five runs, this time boosting Max Scherzer and the Mets to a 5-1 victory Friday night over the Nationals at Citi Field.
The All-Star first baseman also had posted identical power numbers Tuesday in a 9-3 win over the Yankees in The Bronx.
With his four-homer week, Alonso joined Mike Piazza as the second player in Mets history to hit at least 30 home runs in four different seasons.
“Over the past week it’s been really fun and it’s been very enjoyable to win and do my job and play a part to help this team win,” Alonso said.
“But every single day it’s a new challenge and a new adversity. I feel like I’m in a really good spot and I’m going to fight like hell to stay where I’m at.”
Alonso snapped a scoreless tie Friday with a 453-foot homer to the second deck in left-center off Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore for a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning.
He also hit a two-run home run against reliever Rico Garcia, over the wall in center in the seventh inning.
The three-time All-Star has batted .400 (12-for-30) over his past eight games to raise his overall batting average from .203 to .220.
“Mechanically, there really wasn’t too much wrong. The biggest thing honestly has been taking my time, as much as the clock allows and to stay relaxed,” Alonso said.
“Being more relaxed is helping me see the ball better and be more efficient.”
Alonso’s 17th career multi-homer game also tied him with Piazza and Carlos Beltran for the third-most in Mets history, trailing only Darryl Strawberry (22) and David Wright (21).
He now has hit the fifth-most home runs in his first five big league seasons, with 176.
That leaves him behind Ralph Kiner (215), Albert Pujols (201), Eddie Mathews (190) and Ryan Howard (177) in MLB history, but Alonso’s total includes the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
“When Pete collides with the ball it goes places where you can’t catch it,” manager Buck Showalter said. “I know it sounds crazy, but you go through a period where [pitchers] don’t make mistakes.
“You can’t cover everything and the answer usually is being more selective. But you don’t hit a home run if you don’t swing the bat. … I’ve had a lot of conversations with Pete in the office, late after everybody’s left, [and told him] ‘When you get it going again, somebody’s gonna pay.’ You can always feel that with Pete. ‘If I’m struggling, you’re gonna feel my pain somewhere along the way.’”
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