Pete Alonso homers against Mets again as Orioles win 7-1 to finish sweep at Citi Field

NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso homered against the New York Mets again, a solo shot in the first inning that sent the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-1 victory Wednesday night and a three-game sweep at Citi Field.

Jeremiah Jackson, a former Mets farmhand, went deep in the second before Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Samuel Basallo hit back-to-back homers in the third. Chris Bassitt pitched into the seventh for the Orioles (75-78), who moved within 2 1/2 games of the Chicago White Sox for the last American League playoff berth.

Alonso tied the score in the ninth inning Tuesday with his 300th career homer and took a rare curtain call on the road to acknowledge adoring Mets fans still unhappy about his departure for Baltimore last December.

This time, he connected off fill-in starter Xzavion Curry (0-1) to begin an early power display by the Orioles. They launched nine homers in the series after totaling seven in their previous nine games before arriving in Queens on Monday.

Alonso rounded the bases to another warm ovation Wednesday night — albeit not as raucous as the one he received Tuesday night.

The popular slugger hit a franchise-record 264 home runs and made five All-Star teams in seven seasons with the Mets. But they didn’t attempt to re-sign him as a free agent last offseason and Alonso agreed to a $155 million, five-year contract with Baltimore.

Basallo added an RBI single in the ninth for the Orioles. Bassitt, who won 15 games for the Mets in 2022, allowed five hits — including Marcus Semien’s fourth-inning RBI single — and struck out six over 6 2/3 innings.

The start matched the longest this season for Bassitt (8-5), who underwent back surgery in June.

Orioles: Had not announced a starter for Friday, when Baltimore begins its final homestand against RHP Dustin May (7-9, 4.49 ERA) and the Milwaukee Brewers.

Mets: Rookie RHP Nolan McLean (11-9, 3.24 ERA) opens the last home series of the season Thursday against RHP Aaron Nola (6-10, 4.69) and the Philadelphia Phillies.

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