Rookie Phenom Pete Alonso Hits 53rd Homer, Sets New Record!

CNN reports:

Slugger Pete Alonso has been a bright spot in an otherwise so-so season for the New York Mets. And now he's broken Major League Baseball's rookie home run record.

"Polar Bear," as he's nicknamed, hit his 53rd home run during this past Saturday's game against the Atlanta Braves. The record-breaking blast came in the third inning against Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz.

The fan favorite and 2019 Home Run Derby champion raised his arms to the sky as the ball soared over the wall at New York's Citi Field. Mets fans gave him a standing ovation as he rounded the bases.

"To be a part of Major League Baseball history, to be number one out of every single guy that ever played the game, it's humbling and it's such just a ridiculously awesome feeling," an emotional Alonso told reporters after the game. "That moment was just pure magic."

"I didn't know that I was going to be overcome with all that emotion," added Alonso, who got teary on the field as fans cheered him. "At that point, might as well just let it out."

Alonso bested another New York player -- Yankees star Aaron Judge -- in becoming MLB's all-time home run leader for rookies. The Yankees outfielder had set the record in 2017 with 52 home runs.

The Mets won Saturday's game 3-0. Although the team was officially eliminated from postseason contention earlier this week, at least Alonso gave their fans something to celebrate.

Mets Slugger Pete Alonso Hits 52nd Homer, Ties Rookie Record

MLB.com reports:

Because Pete Alonso is a walking, talking, home run-bashing superlative, it seems only natural that his vocabulary should mirror his production. When asked earlier this week about the possibility of hitting as many home runs as any rookie in Major League history, Alonso described the idea as “super, incredibly, amazingly awesome.”

For Alonso, everything seems to be “amazing” and “fun” and “special” and “a dream come true.” And why shouldn’t it be? During a seven-minute interview last week, Alonso used the words “awesome” and “miraculous” eight times. Teammate Marcus Stroman described him as “a big kid” with “true joy every time he comes in the clubhouse to play baseball.” Manager Mickey Callaway gushed: “There’s just something about Pete that draws everybody in.”

Part of it is recognition of the sublime. Alonso, who spent his summer ripping Major League Baseball’s record book into pieces with his bare hands, reached one more significant milestone Friday in the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Braves. Batting against Dallas Keuchel in the first inning, Alonso lined his 52nd homer just over the orange line painted onto Citi Field’s left-field wall. In so doing, he matched Aaron Judge for the most by a rookie in Major League history.

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"There is no better person to share it with," Judge said after the Yankees' game in Texas. "He’s eventually going to break it. I know that for sure."

Astros Slugger George Springer Hits 3 Homers To Help Team Clinch AL West

 Denver Post reports:

George Springer has hit a career-high three homers for the Houston Astros, all of them in the first four innings against the Los Angeles Angels on this past Sunday.

The MLB record of four home runs in a game has been done 18 times. J.D. Martinez did it most recently for Arizona on Sept. 4, 2017.

In his first chance at tying the mark, Springer popped up with the bases loaded in the fifth. He then grounded out in the seventh. 

 Springer got to work immediately, sending Jose Rodriguez’s first pitch into left-center field for his franchise-record 12th leadoff homer this season. That left the 2017 World Series MVP one shy of the MLB record for leadoff homers in a season set by Alfonso Soriano with the Yankees in 2003. 

The game was tied in the second when Springer connected off Rodriguez again, this time for a two-run shot that put the Astros up 3-1.

There were two outs in the fourth when Springer sent a fastball from José Suárez into the seats in left field to make it 4-2.

It is the 14th time in a regular season game in franchise history that an Astros player has hit three homers and the second time this season after rookie Yordan Alvarez also did it.

A win would clinch the AL West for the Astros.

Rookie Sensation Pete Alonso Hits 50th Homer

CBS Sports reports:

New York Mets rookie first baseman Pete Alonso became the first player in Major League Baseball to reach the 50-home run mark this season on Friday night, delivering the big 5-0 in a winning effort against the Cincinnati Reds.

Alonso's home run is significant for a number of reasons. He already possessed the single-season franchise record, but he's now closing in on the all-time rookie record, set previously by New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who hit 52 in 2017. With more than a week remaining in the season, Alonso would seem to have a fair shot at dethroning Judge.

Alonso's home run also ensured that he'll finish the season having hit at least one against every other National League team. Alonso has done the most damage against the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins (seven apiece), and has hit one dinger or more versus every team he's taken at least 10 plate appearances against except one -- the Chicago White Sox.

Astros Flamethrower Gerrit Cole Reaches 300 Strikeouts In 2019 Season

MSN reports:

Gerrit Cole has been dealing all year in his second campaign donning an Astros' uniform. Now he owns a piece of team history.

Cole became just the 18th different pitcher since 1900 and the third Houston arm to rack up 300 strikeouts in a season.

He rounded his total by striking out Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo in the top of the sixth inning of Wednesday's game against Texas with his team leading 2-0.

Mike Scott (1986) and J.R. Richard (1978-79) were the other two Houston arms to reach the mark. Pedro Martinez in 1999 was the last American League pitcher to do it.

Cole managed to reach the milestone in 198.1 innings, the second fewest of any pitcher in history. Randy Johnson, one of the most prolific strikeout artists of all time, did it in 197.2 innings in 2001. Johnson had five consecutive 300-strikeout seasons between 1998 and 2002. He finished his career with six 300-strikeout seasons, which is tied with all-time strikeout leader Nolan Ryan for the most in MLB history.

There have been four 300-strikeout seasons in the 2010 decade, with Max Scherzer reaching exactly 300 last season, Clayton Kershaw hitting the mark at 301 in 2015 and Chris Sale topping out at 308 in 2017.

Cole, the first overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, oozed potential in Pittsburgh before seemingly reaching his ceiling in Houston with back-to-back 6-plus WAR seasons since being traded in the 2017 offseason. He posted a 2.88 ERA in 2018 and has been even better in 2019, having posted a 2.54 mark so far in 2019.

The right-handed fireballer, whose fastball has always averaged 95-plus miles per hour, maintained strikeout rates below 25 percent when he was with the Pirates, peaking at 24.2 percent in 2014. With the Astros, that number sky-rocketed in his first season alone, reaching 34.5 percent. It has been at 39.4 percent in 2019.

Cole finds himself in the midst of a battle for the American League Cy Young with teammate Justin Verlander, who leads the league with a 2.50 ERA. Cole's 6.5 WAR, according to Fangraphs, leads the majors above Scherzer's 6.4 mark in the National League.

Giants Skipper Bruce Bochy Notches 2,000th Win As A Manager

CBS Sports reports:

There is a new member of the managerial 2,000-win club. 

This past Wednesday night at Fenway Park (SF 11, BOS 3), San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy notched the 2,000th win in what will soon be a Hall of Fame career. It is his 1,049th win with the Giants after 951 with the Padres. He is the 11th manager in history with 2,000 wins.

Here are the 11 members of the 2,000-win club:

1. Connie Mack: 3,731 wins
2. John McGraw: 2,763
3. Tony La Russa: 2,728
4. Bobby Cox: 2,504
5. Joe Torre: 2,326
6. Sparky Anderson: 2,194
7. Bucky Harris: 2,158
8. Joe McCarthy: 2,125
9. Walter Alston: 2,040
10. Leo Durocher: 2,008
11. Bruce Bochy: 2,000

The first 10 men on the all-time wins list are in the Hall of Fame. Bochy will join them in Cooperstown soon enough even though he will retire with a losing record (currently 2,000-2,022). Bochy, Mack (3,731-3,948), and Harris (2,158-2,219) are the only managers with 2,000 wins and a career losing record.

Earlier this year Bochy, 64, announced he will retire following the season. He is the longest tenured manager in baseball. This is his 13th season with the Giants -- he was at the helm for the team's World Series championships in 2010, 2012, and 2014 -- after spending 12 years with San Diego. He's been managing since 1995.

Mets Slugger Pete Alonso Hits 49th Homer, Eyes Rookie Record

MLB.com reports:

Pete Alonso knows a thing or two about setting home run records, so it was only fitting that he was the one to set the Mets’ single-season franchise mark. It was equally fitting that his contributions did not end there.

Going deep in the sixth inning on Wednesday, Alonso hit the Mets’ 225th home run, snapping a tie with the 2017 Mets. Alonso then drew a four-pitch, bases-loaded, go-ahead walk in the ninth to lead the Mets to a 7-4 win over the Rockies at Coors Field.

Trailing by a run heading into the ninth, the Mets received a spark when Wilson Ramos -- whom manager Mickey Callaway declined to use as a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded earlier in the game -- drew a leadoff walk. J.D. Davis followed with a hit, and Brandon Nimmo singled home the tying run before two additional walks put the Mets in front for the first time since the second inning.

When Alonso ripped his 448-foot homer in the sixth -- his 49th of the season -- the Mets became the 10th team to break a franchise home run record this season, in a year that has already seen the MLB-wide homer record fall as well. Six other clubs are on pace to set franchise marks before the season is through.

Twenty-two percent of the Mets’ homers have come courtesy of Alonso, who matched Mark McGwire for the second most by a rookie in Major League history. Alonso is on pace to catch Aaron Judge, who set the all-time rookie record with 52 in 2017.

Pitching to René Rivera instead of Ramos, Mets starter Noah Syndergaard allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Reds Slugger Eugenio Suarez Hits 46th, 47th HRs, Chasing MLB Crown

MLB.com reports:

During Spring Training in 2018, the Reds signed third baseman Eugenio Suárez to a seven-year, $66 million contract extension with the hope he would be a cornerstone player for years to come. That deal already seems like a shrewd bargain. It only took until the contract’s second year for Suarez to have one of the best offensive seasons in the franchise’s long history.

With two home runs during the Reds’ 3-1 victory over the D-backs on Sunday, Suarez now has 47 homers this season, tied for the Major League lead with the Mets' Pete Alonso. But that wasn’t the feat Suarez cared as much about.

• Box score

Suarez now shares the top spot for most homers in a season by a Venezuelan player with Andres Galarraga, who hit 47 for the Rockies in 1996.

“It’s a big-time feeling," Suarez said. "It feels great to tie the ‘Big Cat’ in homers for Venezuelan players. It’s amazing. I just feel amazing."

Teammates in the visiting dugout at Chase Field could be seen enjoying the moment, namely fellow Venezuelans Freddy Galvis and Jose Peraza.

“When you watched Galarraga hitting the ball, I never thought [I could] do it. And I did it today,” Suarez said. “That’s why it’s special, more than you think. For Venezuelan players, it’s a lot. For me and my family, my wife and everybody, I think they are so proud of me and just enjoy that.”

Meanwhile, some other all-time records are in peril. Suarez is one homer away from tying the single-season record for home runs hit by a National League third baseman, held by Mike Schmidt (1980 with the Phillies) and Adrian Beltre (2004 with the Dodgers).

Another key number in reach for Suarez: 52 homers. That’s Cincinnati’s 42-year-old franchise record set in 1977 by George Foster. It’s also the Major League record for homers as a third baseman in a season, set by Alex Rodriguez with the Yankees in 2007.

Rookie Sensation Pete Alonso Hits His 46th and 47th Homers!

UPI.com reports:

MLB home run leader Pete Alonso hit two more bombs during a New York Mets win against the Arizona Diamondbacks, pushing his season total to 47.

Alonso, 24, is five home runs shy of tying the rookie record of 52, set by Aaron Judge in 2017. He is on pace to hit six more this season and set the new rookie mark. Alonso went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a strikeout in the 3-1 win Monday at Citi Field in Queens. 

"I just want to make the playoffs," Alonso told reporters. "That's something we still have a chance to do ... To be able to make it and have a chance to play for a ring, I think that would surpass any personal records."

Mets starter Jacob deGrom allowed three hits and one run in seven innings to pick up his ninth win of the season. DeGrom also had 11 strikeouts in the win. The star pitcher silenced the Diamondbacks in the top of the first frame.

Jeff McNeil grounded out in the Mets' first at-bat, prompting Alonso's first walk to the plate. The Mets first baseman missed a curveball with a swinging strike before settling in for the second pitch of his exchange with Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. The right-handed pitcher tossed in another curveball on his second pitch.

Alonso ripped the off-speed lob over the left center field fence for a 389-foot solo shot. The blast had an exit velocity of 101 mph and left the field in 5.5 seconds, according to Statcast.

Amed Rosario plated Wilson Ramos on an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. Wilmer Flores got the Diamondbacks on the board with a solo homer in the fifth frame.