NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso went hitless in his return to Citi Field but Gunnar Henderson launched a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning Monday night that lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a 2-1 win over the New York Mets.
Henderson went deep against Dedniel Núñez (1-1) immediately after Alonso struck out, helping the Orioles pull within three games of Cleveland for the last American League wild card.
Heston Kjerstad had an RBI double in the second.
A.J. Ewing homered for the Mets (69-81), who were eliminated from playoff contention and assured they won't have a winning season after starting the year with a record payroll of $358.4 million.
The Mets aired a nearly two-minute video tribute to Alonso, the franchise home run leader, shortly before first pitch. The 31-year-old slugger, who agreed to a $155 million, five-year contract with Baltimore last December after New York didn’t push to re-sign him as a free agent, doffed his cap and made a clapping motion as the crowd of 35,800 gave him a standing ovation.
Alonso was also greeted with standing ovations and chants of “Pete Alonso!" prior to each plate appearance. He flied out in the first and walked in the third, when he hooked his potential 300th career homer foul into the upper deck in left field, before grounding out in the fifth.
The homer by Henderson made a winner of Yennier Cano (3-3), who got the final out of the seventh. Rico Garcia earned his ninth save with a perfect ninth.
Orioles right-hander Brandon Young allowed one run in five innings despite issuing five walks and permitting five hits. Young, who had six strikeouts, limited the Mets to one hit in 10 at-bats with runners on base.
Mets rookie Jonah Tong gave up just an unearned run and four hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked one.
Ewing gave New York 11 players with at least 10 home runs for the first time in club history.
Orioles RHP Shane Baz (6-15, 4.05 ERA) starts Tuesday against Mets LHP Sean Manaea (5-7, 4.79).
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